Adidas Originals Updates the Handball Spezial with Leopard Print and A Long Tongue

Adidas Originals has recently shifted its focus from an array of new ballet-inspired designs for women to another Handball Spezial that combines sports heritage with modern fashion sensibilities. The result is a pair that features leopard print across its iconic profile logos and a fold-over tongue.

A product description sourced by House of Heatº and Elden Monitors states that the newly-surfaced offering is inspired by Takashi Ogami, founder and editor-in-chief of SHUKYU Magazine, a Japanese publication dedicated to football. His affinity informed the Long Tongue update featured on the Originals product, a detail borrowed from the iconic Copa Mundial cleat that debuted in 1979. Pairs of the Adidas Samba have also included the LT differentiator, further linking the popular sneaker design to its performance origins.

A reserved color scheme of "Wonder Beige/Wonder White" cover the majority of the impending pair. And while the bulk of the upper opts for a reserved finish, profile 3-Stripes interrupt the reserved aesthetic with their wild leopard print. Achilles' heel panels opt for a faded black tone, while Spezial text on the lateral side indulge in a shimmering "Gold Metallic" look. The tooling underfoot rounds out the special package in a light gum brown.

Enjoy detailed shots of the Handball Spezial below. Pairs are expected to hit Adidas.com by July for approximately $110. A higher price tag could appear given the silhouette's updates, but that's yet to be determined.

For more brown-colored sneaker news, check out the Tom Sachs Mars Yard 3.0, the controversial artist's first collaboration with Nike in two years.