The Story of the Adidas Stan Smith

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Go on, have a look down. Take a glance at the feet of people walking past you on any British high street, sitting opposite you on the tube, or dancing (badly) at a wedding. Chances are, you won’t have to wait long before you spot a pair. Clean, white, simple. A flash of green on the heel, a subtle line of three perforated stripes, and a friendly, moustachioed face smiling from the tongue. It’s the Adidas Stan Smith, and it’s more than just a shoe. It’s a piece of history, a design classic, and a quiet superstar that has graced the feet of everyone from tennis legends and rock stars to supermodels and your own dad.

But how did this simple leather tennis shoe become one of the most famous trainers on the planet? How did a shoe named after an American tennis player become a fundamental part of the British wardrobe? It’s a story that involves a French inventor, a German sportswear giant, another tennis player who got written out of the story, and a journey from the pristine grass courts of Wimbledon to the muddy fields of Glastonbury. It’s a tale of how less became more, and how a shoe designed for performance became a blank canvas for personal style. So, let’s lace up and dive into the remarkable story of the Stan Smith.

From Court to Concrete: The Birth of a Legend

Our story doesn’t start with Stan Smith. It doesn’t even start with Adidas. It begins in the early 1960s with a man named Horst Dassler, the son of Adidas founder Adolf “Adi” Dassler. Horst was a clever chap with big ambitions. He saw that leather tennis shoes were the future. At the time, most players were still wearing canvas plimsolls, which offered little support and wore out quickly. A sturdy leather shoe could change the game.

Adidas decided to create its first-ever leather tennis shoe. But they needed a star to wear it. Their first choice wasn’t Stan Smith, but a French tennis player named Robert Haillet. He was a big deal in the late 1950s and early 1960s, so in 1965, the shoe was officially named the “adidas Robert Haillet”.

It was a proper game-changer. It was built from high-quality full-grain leather, which was a world away from flimsy canvas. The design was brilliantly simple but packed with smart ideas.

The Padded Heel: A green foam pad was added to the back to protect the Achilles tendon, a weak spot for tennis players who are always stopping and starting. This little detail was revolutionary.
The Dimpled Outsole: The sole wasn’t flat. It had a herringbone pattern of little dimples for better grip on grass and clay courts.
The Perforated Stripes: Instead of stitching the famous Adidas three stripes onto the side, they punched holes into the leather. This wasn’t just for looks; it helped the shoe breathe, keeping players’ feet cooler during a long match.

The Robert Haillet shoe was a hit with the pros. It was tough, comfortable, and looked incredibly sharp and clean. But by the early 1970s, Robert Haillet had retired. Horst Dassler needed a new face for his star shoe, and he turned his eyes across the Atlantic.

Enter Stan Smith: The Right Man at the Right Time

Stanley Roger Smith was everything Adidas could want in an ambassador. He was an American tennis superstar, known for his calm, cool playing style and his impressive moustache. In 1971, he won the US Open. In 1972, he won Wimbledon. He was ranked World Number 1. He was a gentleman on and off the court, the perfect image for a brand that stood for quality and performance.

A sports agent named Donald Dell suggested to Adidas that Stan would be the perfect replacement for Haillet. A deal was struck, and one of the most successful sponsorship deals in history was born.

For a few strange years, from about 1973 to 1978, the shoe had a split personality. It featured Stan Smith’s portrait on the tongue, but still had Robert Haillet’s signature printed above it. It was a bit awkward, like a photo with someone’s ex still in the picture. Finally, in 1978, the shoe was officially and permanently renamed the adidas Stan Smith. Haillet’s name was removed, and Stan’s friendly face and signature became the only ones on the shoe. The legend was truly born.

The Anatomy of an Icon: What Makes a Stan Smith?

From a distance, the Stan Smith looks almost ridiculously simple. But its design is a masterclass in functional, minimalist style. It hasn’t really changed in over 50 years, because it got so much right the first time. Let’s break down what makes it so special.

The Upper: A Clean Canvas

The main body of the shoe is made from a single piece of smooth, white leather. This wasn’t just for looks. In the 60s, it made the shoe durable and easy to clean after a muddy match. But this clean, white simplicity is what later turned it into a fashion icon. It’s a blank canvas. It goes with everything: jeans, a suit, a dress, school uniform. It’s the ultimate versatile trainer. The only branding is the three rows of perforations—the “ghost stripes”—which are subtle and elegant.

The Tongue: The Face of the Brand

This is probably the most famous part of the shoe. The slightly oversized tongue features a hand-drawn sketch of Stan Smith himself, complete with his signature 70s moustache. Below his face is his signature. It’s a friendly, personal touch that no other shoe has. In the original designs, the drawing was just an outline. Later versions filled it in with the now-iconic shade of green. It’s like a little stamp of authenticity. When you see that face, you know exactly what you’re looking at.

The Heel Tab: A Flash of Colour

The pop of bright green on the heel tab is the shoe’s most recognisable feature. Originally called “Fairway Green,” it was designed to protect the Achilles tendon. But it also provided a brilliant flash of branding. As a player moved around the court, you’d see that green flicker. It’s a perfect accent against the stark white leather and features the Adidas trefoil logo, which was introduced in 1971. While green is the classic, Adidas has released thousands of versions with different colours—navy, red, black, even metallic gold—but the green will always be the original.

The Sole: Built for Purpose

The rubber cupsole is simple and durable. It’s stitched to the upper for extra strength, a sign of quality shoemaking. The original herringbone grip pattern gave players the traction they needed, but it also provides great grip for walking down a rainy British street. It’s not flashy or full of weird air bubbles; it’s just a solid, reliable foundation.

This combination of clean lines, subtle branding, and a couple of quirky, memorable details created a design that was timeless. It didn’t scream for attention. It was quiet, confident, and effortlessly cool.

From Tennis Court to Catwalk: The Stan Smith Takeover

The Stan Smith sold millions of pairs throughout the 1970s and 80s, even making it into the Guinness Book of Records for sales. But its real journey to iconic status began when it stepped off the tennis court and onto the street. This didn’t happen overnight. It was a slow, organic process driven by different groups of people who saw something special in its simple design.

The Hip-Hop Connection

In the 1980s, hip-hop culture was exploding in New York City, and what you wore on your feet was everything. While Adidas’s “Superstar” model (the one with the shell toe) became the official shoe of groups like Run-DMC, the Stan Smith was its cooler, more understated cousin. It was embraced by B-boys and rappers who wanted a crisp, clean look to go with their tracksuits and gold chains. It showed you had style, but you weren’t trying too hard.

The Fashion World Falls in Love

The real turning point came in the 1990s and 2000s, when the fashion industry discovered the Stan Smith. Designers and stylists loved its minimalist aesthetic. It was the perfect “anti-fashion” shoe. In a world of chunky, flashy, over-designed trainers, the Stan Smith was a breath of fresh air.

Phoebe Philo, the British designer who was the creative director of the French fashion house Céline, is often credited with kickstarting its modern revival. She was known for her chic, minimalist style and was often photographed wearing a pair of classic Stan Smiths, especially when taking a bow at the end of her runway shows in the 2010s. When the most influential woman in fashion wears a £75 trainer, people notice. Suddenly, the Stan Smith wasn’t just a shoe; it was a fashion statement. It started appearing in magazines like Vogue and i-D, paired with expensive designer clothes.

Marc Jacobs, another legendary designer, was also a huge fan. He wore them religiously. Soon, everyone in the fashion world had a pair. They became the unofficial uniform for fashion editors, models off-duty, and designers.

The Great Disappearance (and Triumphant Return)

Then, in 2012, Adidas did something very clever. They stopped selling the Stan Smith. They pulled it from the shelves completely. People panicked. You couldn’t find them anywhere. This wasn’t a mistake; it was a brilliant marketing move. By making them scarce, they made everyone want them even more.

For two years, the shoe was gone. Then, in 2014, Adidas brought it back with a massive, star-studded marketing campaign. They sent personalised pairs to celebrities, influencers, and fashion insiders. They launched social media campaigns. The hype was immense.

The plan worked perfectly. The Stan Smith was reborn, bigger than ever before. It was no longer just a retro classic; it was the hottest shoe on the market. Everyone from Kanye West and David Beckham to Kate Moss and the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted wearing them. It became the default cool-trainer for a whole new generation.

The Stan Smith in Britain: A Very British Love Affair

While the Stan Smith is a global icon, it holds a special place in the British wardrobe. We Brits have a soft spot for understated classics, and the Stan Smith fits the bill perfectly. It has woven itself into the fabric of British style culture in a way that few other trainers have.

The Casuals and Football Culture

In the late 1970s and 1980s, a new youth subculture emerged from the football terraces of Britain: the Casuals. These were working-class lads who followed their teams across the country and into Europe. They developed a unique style, moving away from club colours to avoid police attention. Instead, they adopted expensive European sportswear as their uniform. Brands like Fila, Sergio Tacchini, and, of course, Adidas were key.

While models like the Gazelle, Samba, and Forest Hills were more common on the terraces, the Stan Smith was part of that world. Its clean, premium look fitted the Casuals’ sharp, aspirational aesthetic. It was a shoe that said you had taste and you’d spent a bit of money, but you weren’t a show-off.

From Britpop to Modern Festivals

In the 1990s, the Stan Smith found a new home in the indie and Britpop scenes. Bands like Blur and Oasis championed a kind of smart-lad style that mixed classic sportswear with parkas, polo shirts, and jeans. The Stan Smith was the perfect footwear for this look. It was casual but smart, with a retro feel that fitted the 90s obsession with 60s and 70s style. You could wear them to the pub, to a gig, or for a kickabout in the park.

This connection to music has continued. Today, you’re as likely to see a pair of Stan Smiths caked in mud at Glastonbury as you are on the King’s Road in Chelsea. They are the go-to festival shoe for people who want something comfortable and stylish that isn’t a pair of wellies.

A Staple of the British Wardrobe

Today, the Stan Smith has achieved a rare status in Britain: it’s a true classless classic. It’s worn by everyone, regardless of age, background, or profession. You’ll see teenagers wearing them with their school uniforms, mums on the school run, creative types in Shoreditch, and retired couples enjoying a Sunday stroll.

Why do we love it so much?

It’s Versatile: It’s hard to think of an outfit a Stan Smith doesn’t work with. It can dress down a formal suit or smarten up a pair of trackie bottoms. This versatility is perfect for the unpredictable British weather and our love of practical fashion.
It’s Understated: British style often favours things that are classic and not too flashy. The Stan Smith is the definition of understated cool. It doesn’t shout, it whispers.
It’s Nostalgic: For many people, the Stan Smith reminds them of their youth. It’s a shoe that has been around for so long that it connects generations. Your dad might have worn them, and now you do too.

Beyond the White and Green: The Stan Smith Universe

While the classic white and green model remains the undisputed king, Adidas has been incredibly smart about keeping the Stan Smith fresh and exciting. They’ve used the shoe as a blank canvas for countless collaborations and special editions.

High-Fashion Collaborations

Some of the world’s most famous designers have put their own spin on the Stan Smith.

Raf Simons: The Belgian designer created a minimalist version where the perforated stripes were replaced with a single perforated ‘R’. It became a massive status symbol in the fashion world.
Stella McCartney: The British designer, known for her commitment to sustainability, has released several vegan versions of the Stan Smith, made entirely from cruelty-free materials. Her versions often feature colourful laces and star patterns.
Yohji Yamamoto (Y-3): The Japanese master created a futuristic version with zips instead of laces, showing how the classic design could be pushed into new territory.

Pop Culture Crossovers

The shoe has also been a canvas for collaborations with artists, musicians, and even film characters. There have been Stan Smiths celebrating:

Pharrell Williams: The musician released a “Solid Pack” with brightly coloured monochrome versions and a “Polka Dot” pack.
Disney, Marvel, and Star Wars: You can find Stan Smiths featuring characters like Kermit the Frog (with the heel tab reading “It’s not easy being green”), Hulk, and Luke Skywalker.
Artists like Gore-Tex and KAWS: These collaborations turn the shoe into a piece of wearable art.

A Greener Future: The Sustainable Stan Smith

In recent years, Adidas has made a big push to make the Stan Smith more environmentally friendly. This is a huge deal for a shoe that sells in such massive numbers. In 2021, they launched the Stan Smith, Forever initiative.

The new generation of Stan Smiths are made with Primegreen, a high-performance material created from recycled plastics. This means the uppers are now made with at least 50% recycled content. They’ve also developed vegan versions that replace leather with other materials, and have experimented with mushroom leather and other innovative, sustainable textiles.

It’s a smart move. The original Stan Smith was a performance shoe for the future. The new Stan Smith is a sustainable shoe for the future. It’s a way of ensuring that this icon can be worn for another 50 years without costing the earth.

The Enduring Legacy: Why the Stan Smith Will Never Go Out of Style

So, what is the secret to the Stan Smith’s incredible staying power? How has it remained so popular for over half a century in the fast-moving world of fashion?

The answer is its beautiful simplicity. It’s a perfectly designed object that does its job without any fuss. It’s like a white t-shirt, a pair of Levi’s 501s, or a trench coat. It’s a “default” item—the thing you reach for when you don’t know what else to wear, because you know it will always look good.

Fashion trends come and go. We’ve had chunky dad shoes, high-tech futuristic trainers, and minimalist running shoes. But through it all, the Stan Smith has remained. It doesn’t try to be the coolest, loudest shoe in the room. It’s happy being itself: clean, classic, and comfortable.

The face on the tongue belongs to a man who won his last major tournament over 40 years ago. Most of the people who wear his shoe today have probably never seen him play tennis. They might not even know who he is. And in a way, that’s the ultimate tribute. The shoe has become bigger than the man. It has become a symbol in its own right—a symbol of timeless design and effortless, democratic style. It’s a shoe for everyone. And that’s why, on a high street somewhere in Britain right now, someone is walking past, a flash of green on their heel, part of a story that’s still being written, one step at a time.

Adidas Stan Smith: The Unlikely Story of a True British Style Icon

From Court to Concrete: The Birth of a Legend

Enter Stan Smith: The Right Man at the Right Time