Prada x adidas Superstar Collaboration is Limited to Just 700 Pairs

This article first appeared in Esquire.

We can’t imagine Miuccia Prada ever gets nervous. When you’ve guided one of the world’s most long-lived luxury brands to the pinnacle of creative expression, something as simple as a trainer collaboration probably doesn’t even register on the anxiety scale. Unless, perhaps, it’s the Superstar, the 50-year-old Adidas silhouette that’s become one of the most recognizable shoes on the planet.

This is perhaps why, for the brands’ new collaboration, she’s barely touched it. Instead of some gaudy remix, the Prada for Adidas Superstar is as white, crisp and clean as overnight snow, letting the luxury construction (Prada’s crafted its version in its Italian factories) from premium full-grain leather do the lifting instead. As the press release puts it, the Superstar is “an impeccable style icon – which does not require being re-designed – having crossed boundaries and challenged definitions through five decades.” It’s good enough for Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys, after all, so you don’t really need to mess around with it.

There are enough touches, however, to make sure that people know you’ve got something a bit more special on your feet. For one, there’s the big ‘Prada’ and ‘Made In Italy’ debossed on the outside. Then, on the instep, their issue number. Ah, yes, we forgot to mention – these aren’t the kind of Superstars that you can pick up with your groceries. They’re limited edition, one of 700, and available only from select Prada boutiques, or both brands’ websites.

As well as the kicks, Prada has crafted a new bag, which is a hybrid between the Italian brand’s bowling bag and an Adidas gym bag. Also made by Prada from luxury leather, think of it as a bigger, more practical take on the tote that’s also too pretty to just store your used football kit inside. You were looking for a new work bag anyway, weren’t you?

The Prada for Adidas Superstar sneaker and Bowling bag are available from select Prada stores, as well as prada.com and adidas.com on December 4th,.