adidas Looks to Take Over the Rest of 2026 With the AdiStar MLD

If you've read any AdiStar Control 5 coverage on House of Heat° over the last year, you should be familiar with how big of a bet the silhouette has been for the adidas Originals line. Whether or not the model has been a mainstream success is a different story, but what's certain is that it still forms part of the brand's plans for at least another half-year.

Enter: The Women's adidas AdiStar MLD.

Previewed to House of Heat° during a November 2025 visit to the adidas HQ in Germany, the design brings a future-forward update to the AdiStar Control 5, a running shoe from 2008. James Lui, Design Director, Originals Footwear (Color & Materials), and Gaétan Saint-André, Global Category Director, Originals Footwear, shared that their teams wanted to experiment with the retro silhouette, to explore new color and material applications. The AdiStar MLD (read: Mold or Molded) pushes the AdiStar runner's DNA forward via a single-piece, no-seam overlay across the upper.

The modification makes for a clean aesthetic that includes fluid lines from toe toe heel. The overlayed "cage" plays with metallic finishes, which contrast the matte look of the open mesh base. The MLD update to the AdiStar Control 5 also enables bolder 3-Stripes branding on the profiles.

Underfoot, the tried-and-proven sole unit setup—forefoot AdiPRENE®+ cushioning, Ground Control System™, Foremotion technology, 3D TORSION® SYSTEM, and AdiWEAR outsoles—reprise their roles, bringing a touch of '08 to the modern era.

The AdiStar MLD has begun releasing at select retailers outside of the U.S.; a stateside adidas.com launch should begin to take place by the beginning of June.

Thus far, "Maroon," "Linen Green," and "Blue Fusion" pairs of the new adidas Originals shoe are offered exclusively in Women's sizing.