Quick Fire° Facts
Since 1970, the adidas superstar has amassed dozens of collaborations
Though built for basketball, the "shell-toe" has transcended sport
special-editions Include pairs by A BATHING APE®, Run-D.M.C., prada & LEGO®
Superstar's 55th anniversary celebration continues in 2026
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The adidas Superstar is 56-years-old. That's more than half-a-century of being iconic. In that span of time, the "shell-toe" has lived many lives. In 1970, the sneaker was basketball's marquee trainer, co-signed by Jerry West and Rick Barry. Throughout the '80s, pairs became synonymous with hip-hop thanks to breakdancers in the Bronx and the popularity of Queens' Run-D.M.C. The '90s and 2000s saw the Superstar truly cement itself within pop culture, winning over audiences with stamps of approval from nu metal groups, skateboarders, streetwear pioneers, sneaker boutiques, and artists. During the 2010s, the world saw more of the same, although the movement was widely led by the classic "White/Black" Superstar.
Which brings us to the present day.
Last year, the adidas Originals icon celebrated its 55th anniversary. Star-studded campaigns and a concerted effort to tell the Superstar's history were the brand's big focuses. The first five months of 2026, however, have shown that the celebration is ongoing. The Three Stripes tapped Samuel L. Jackson, JENNIE, Kendall Jenner, Lamine Yamal, Baby Keem, Olivia Dean, James Harden and Tyshawn Jones to help present "the next chapter" of Superstar as part of its Spring/Summer 2026 campaign. This got us at House of Heat° thinking, "What about past chapters?"
And so, we put together a list of the best adidas Superstars of all-time, landing on a coincidental 26 pairs. The list isn't exhaustive, but reflects the importance of the shoe as a symbol of timeless self-expression and style.
To shop the shoe now, visit adidas.com/Superstar.

A BATHING APE® x adidas Super Ape Star
Release Date: august 2003
A BATHING APE® and the Three Stripes first joined forces in the early 2000s. Effectively the first-ever adidas Originals collaboration, the Super Ape Star featured the Japanese label's iconic ABC CAMO across the upper. The project saw a heritage sportswear brand co-sign a streetwear pioneer.

UNDEFEATED x adidas Superstar Vintage "35th Anniversary"
Release Date: July 2005
Los Angeles-based boutique UNDEFEATED has had a number of adidas collabs over the years, but it all started in 2005 for the shell-toe's 35th anniversary. Joined by other burgeoning streetwear labels, UNDEFEATED brought its military-inspired aesthetic to the Superstar.

Run-D.M.C. x adidas Superstar Vintage "35th Anniversary"
Release Date: February 2005
The story of the adidas Superstar is forever linked to Run-D.M.C., the legendary hip-hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City. Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell were forever immortalized by the Three Stripes upon receiving a special-edition pair in 2005. The 35th anniversary occasion reaffirmed the group's importance to the shell-toe's history.

Missy Elliott x adidas Superstar Vintage "35th Anniversary"
Release Date: February 2005
If you didn't know, Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott is a lifelong adidas fan. As such, she built a relationship with the brand throughout the early days of her music career. The Three Stripes honored Elliott with her own Superstar as part of the "Artist Series" initiative for the silhouette's 35th anniversary celebration. This stamped her in a space dominated by men.

Disney x adidas Superstar "35th Anniversary" (Goofy Sport)
Release Date: 2005
Collaborations between the Disney universe and adidas are commonplace now, but they weren't always. The latter invited the former to reimagine a Superstar for the "Expression Series" of the sneaker's 35th anniversary, leading to a playful "Goofy Sport" pair that harkened back to a previous partnership throughout the 1980s.

NEIGHBORHOOD®︎ x adidas Superstar Vintage "35th Anniversary"
Release Date: 2005
Although diehard fans of Shinsuke Takizawa often cite his adidas Gazelle designs from 2006 as their favorites, the NEIGHBORHOOD®︎ x adidas relationship kicked off with a special shell-toe in 2005. While simple by today's standards, the predominantly black pair captured the Japanese imprint's signature aesthetic well. Plus, it brought a skull motif to the shoe.
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Skate x Mark Gonzales x adidas Superstar Skate "High Score"
Release Date: July 2007
If you've never laid eyes on the Superstar Skate "High Score" collab, we don't blame you. developed to commemorate the release of the Skate video game by Electronic Arts (EA), this adidas project was limited to just 500 pairs. Interested parties could only purchase the sneaker—which featured the likeness of legendary skateboarder Mark Gonzales—by unlocking special codes within Skate and redeeming them at a special microsite.

Star Wars™ x CLOT x adidas Dark Side Star
Release Date: April 2010
Once adidas entered a partnership with Lucasfilm Ltd. in mid-2009, Edison Chen of CLOT lost no time in helping bring the Star Wars™ universe to life through classic footwear. His Darth Vader-inspired Dark Side Star project masterfully blended George Lucas' world with sportswear and streetwear.

A BATHING APE® x adidas Superstar 80s "B-Sides"
Release Date: April 2011
A BATHING APE® and adidas rekindled their working relationship after eight years to release the "B-Sides" Superstar 80s. A nod to the songs found on the flip-side of a vinyl record, the grey-and-navy shell-toe effectively served as final time NIGO worked on an adidas Superstar through BAPE® as the Japanese icon sold the company in February 2011 and left for good in mid-2013.

mastermind JAPAN x adidas Superstar 80s
Release Date: July 2013
mastermind JAPAN is another one of those obscure Japanese labels from the 1990s that've long enjoyed cult-like followings. Masaaki Homma lent his creative vision to four adidas Originals styles during Summer 2013. One highlight of the collab was surely the skull-and-crossbones-stamped shell-toe.

Foot Patrol x adidas Superstar 80s "10th Anniversary"
Release Date: February 2015
Foot Patrol first worked on the Superstar in 2005. And while its green-clad pair is iconic, the orange-colored sequel from 2015 is arguably better. The pair, which features a scale-laden premium leather upper, celebrated the London shop's 10th anniversary while coinciding with the shell-toe's 45th anniversary.

Pharrell Williams x adidas Superstar "Supercolor" Collection
Release Date: March 2015
Virginia's very own Pharrell Williams became an official member of the adidas Family in March 2014. Shortly after, his co-sign of the Stan Smith made the classic tennis model one of the industry's most-popular sneakers. A year later, "Skateboard P" worked his magic once more with the Superstar as part of the shoe's 45th anniversary. His most-ambitious effort was the 50-pair "Supercolor" Collection, which reimagined the iconic design in tonal looks perfect for summer.

A BATHING APE® x UNDEFEATED x adidas Superstar 80s "Blue & Black Camo"
Release Date: October 2015
How could we not include the three-way linkup between BAPE®, UNDEFEATED, and the Three Stripes? Shimmering golden branding and tonal camo prints brought streetwear and sportswear closer for the shell-toe's 45th anniversary.

INVINCIBLE x adidas Superstar 80s "Warm Grey" & "Black"
Release Date: November 2015
Perhaps only diehard fans of the Superstar paid attention to the duo by INVINCIBLE, which is a shame because the pairs standout for their premium execution and purposeful inspiration. Both shell-toes were inspired by the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, making for a collab that not only looks good, but also stands for something.
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Blondey McCoy x adidas Superstar
Release Date: December 2019-january 2021
Thomas Eblen—better known across the world as "Blondey McCoy"—once said: "The Superstar—of all adidas shoes—is, I think, the one that has been reinterpreted and re-appropriated the most…so much so that to me, it has come to represent the notion of re-appropriation itself." The multi-hyphenate worked on a handful of Superstars over the years, with his most-celebrated pairs featuring semi-translucent uppers.

Prada x adidas Superstar
Release Date: December 2019
The Made in Italy Superstar by Prada wasn't for everybody, but that was the point. Limited to just several hundreds of pairs, the pricey project demonstrated that the shell-toe introduced for enhanced basketball performance in 1970 had earned its spot in the world of luxury. Some folks might've enjoyed the Prada Bowling bag included in original sets, but either way, the linkup between the Italian fashion house and adidas was a moment.

Sean Wotherspoon x adidas SUPEREARTH Superstar
Release Date: August 2020
Sean Wotherspoon challenged adidas to re-consider how its iconic Superstar was manufactured when he joined the brand in early 2020. A proud vegan, he worked with the Three Stripes to produce a version of the shell-toe that didn't use any virgin products in favor of recycled, up-cycled, and natural components. The result was SUPEREARTH, an initiative that saw the creation of a handful of adidas sneakers free from animal ingredients. Although the SUPEREARTH Superstar wasn't the easiest sell, it pushed the sportswear juggernaut in its goals of becoming more eco-friendly.

LEGO® x adidas Superstar "Base Plates"
Release Date: JULY 2021
The LEGO Group and the Three Stripes joined forces in Summer 2021 to create two versions of the Superstar—a collectible LEGO® block set to reconstruct the iconic shell-toe and a playful-edition of the sneaker. The former was a great way for collectors to display their love of the decades-old design at home, while the latter allowed them to bring that love to everyday life in a different way.

The Simpsons x Kids' adidas Superstar "Snowball" & "Marge Simpson"
Release Date: January 2022, October 2022
adidas Originals footwear dedicated to The Simpsons universe will surely go down in history for its expansiveness and richness. Everybody remembers the Homer-Simpson-in-bushes Stan Smith, but Snowball the Cat and Marge Simpsons' Superstars also demonstrate masterfully playful executions.
Where to Buy: adidas Superstar
Hello Kitty® x adidas Superstar "50th Anniversary"
Release Date: October 2024
Sanrio's Hello Kitty® universe turned 50 in 2024. To celebrate the occasion, the Japanese institution collaborated with a number of different brands, but a black-heavy Superstar stood out for its large red-bow on the profiles.

Drama Call x adidas Superstar II "Head North"
Release Date: March 2025
Manchester's Drama Call might've not been on the radar of many non-U.K. residents prior to March 2025, but its debut "Head North" Superstar project surely helped it gain worldwide attention. Everything from the shoe interpretation, to its packaging, and campaign was a love letter to its home city—and a great one at that.

A BATHING APE® x adidas Superstar Vintage
Release Date: April 2025
A BATHING APE® couldn't be absent from the Superstar's 55th anniversary celebration. Its springtime shell-toe project saw the streetwear imprint's famous STA™ emblem take over two pairs, further reinforcing the partnership between the longtime collaborators.

THUG CLUB x adidas Superstar Vintage
Release Date: May 2025
THUG CLUB has been gradually winning audiences over since 2018. Its inaugural Superstar duo brought elegant experimental makeovers to the decades-old silhouette. Silver hardware and new rubber shell-toe molding make this duo standout amongst more than 50 years of releases.

CLOT x adidas Superstar Dress Shoe "Cow Print" by Edison Chen
Release Date: January 2026
This isn't the first Superstar Dress Shoe collaboration by Edison Chen, but it might be his best. Developed for the "Year of the Horse," the pair features a hard-bottom, tassel laces, and a faux pony hair donning unique cow print patterns. The glossy shell-toe abandons the hardwood and pavement for the cocktail hour.

HELLSTAR x adidas Superstar II "Hazy Orange"
Release Date: April 2026
The influence of HELLSTAR on youth culture over the last several years cannot be understated. Its partnership with adidas, then, could only attract hype. Sean "Seanie" Holland and team did not disappoint with their Superstar, applying its bold, rebellious aesthetic to the classic design. The partnership's third "Hazy Orange" style caught the world by surprise after two successful launches as it introduced an eye-catching seasonal color palette to the table.

MENACE x adidas Superstar 82 "Old Rose"
Release Date: May 2026
Steven Mena and his MENACE brand are two of the youngest collaborators on this list, but the recent "Old Rose" Superstar has unquestionably won a spot in shell-toe collaboration history. An elegant material execution coupled with a heartwarming story inspired by immigrant mothers make for a modern classic.






