Luxury fashion brand Wales Bonner puts a modern twist on the legendary adidas SL72 silhouette. Bearing a striking resemblance to Wales Bonner x adidas SL72 “Maroon” from the 2020 collection, this near reverse-colourway plays well into the knit motif of the upcoming collection. While the Samba may take centre stage within the capsule, it’d be silly to overlook this Wales Bonner x adidas SL72 “Green” edition.

The SL72 is an important piece within adidas’ extensive history as it was the first shoe to feature the trefoil logo. SL stood for “Super Light”, designed for adidas-sponsored athletes competing in the 1972 Munich Olympics. The silhouette went on to earn the nickname “podium shoe” as a number of athletes who won medals took to the stage sporting the SL72.

This Wales Bonner collaboration casts aside its lightweight nylon tooling, instead focusing on a traditional knit pattern along the upper’s side wall. The heel also boasts a thick hemp-like stitch weaves together the rear paneling, tapping into the Afro-Atlantic inspirations that are echoed throughout Bonner’s work. As for the iconic 3-Stripes, the burnt orange tinge references another cult favourite in the adidas Originals Jamaica. All of this thoughtfully sits atop a classic SL72 midsole, staying true to the silhouette’s archival form.

The adidas SL72 is no ordinary shoe; steeped in history, this ’70s sporting icon was the first to debut the iconic trefoil logo that’s now recognised worldwide. The brand first launched the shoe as a casual sneaker for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, designed to be worn as podium shoe for the athletes. Since then, the silhouette saw has seen a number of retros and new collaborative colourways.

This pair boasts a traditional brown knit pattern, with matching suede panelling wrapping around the bottom half of the upper. Orange saw-toothed 3-Stripes are carefully threaded on in a clay orange, similar to the other “Green” edition. Bonner’s wordmark is quietly embossed onto the heel in a light beige, with further branding on the tongue and sockliner. A cream white rubber outsole completes the story on this fresh SL72 rendition, giving the shoe a balance between its light and darker shades.