The Soon-to-Be It-Girl Sneakers That Are as Cool as Classic Sambas But Not Owned by Everyone Yet

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Camille wears a black coat with fur trim, white top, and jeans. Another woman wears a brown coat, brown sweater, trousers, and Adidas Sambas.
(Image credit: @modedamour; @camillecharriere)
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This past year was significant for Adidas. The brand released a variety of new chic sneakers, focusing predominantly on reviving retro styles such as the Tokyo, Japan, Taekwondo, and SL 72. Just when we thought they were done for the year, the brand launched a new version of the Adidas Samba to close out the year with a bang. The shoes in question are the Samba Winterized (WTR) Shoes, and in a few weeks, they're set to become the next It-girl shoes.

The Samba WTR, as the name suggests, is a winter-ready take on the classic Adidas Samba built with heavier materials. The biggest difference is the sole, which is thicker than the original and features a lug bottom that provides traction and stability on icy and uneven terrain. However, the upper has been overhauled too. It features a hairy suede composition and protective synthetic material on the toe box and heel cap. The rope laces add to the rugged, gorpcore design, and the leather stripes tap into the brand's DNA. Right now in the U.S., the shoes are offered in season-appropriate deep brown and black, but rumors circulating online suggest shoppers can expect more colors in the future.

While the new style just dropped on the brand's site, fashion people on TikTok are already intrigued by it. Fashion influencer Hannah Krohne shared a video on the platform saying, "They created a winterized Samba, which is a hybrid between a sneaker and a dress shoe. A lot of the colorways of this Samba are leather, and the laces are a little more formal, so I guess you could wear it as a loafer alternative." In a matter of hours, her video went viral, and TikTok users began sharing their excitement, saying everything from "These look better than Sambas. The soles on the Sambas never match the colorways, and these look like they match more" to "Wait…I need them. I'm kinda obsessed."

Now, it's your turn to decide whether you like them or not. They're already selling out, so if you do, keep scrolling to get your hands on a pair and style them with everything from wide-leg trousers and a fur-trimmed coat to leggings and a puffer jacket this winter.

Shop Adidas's Winterized Samba Shoes

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Nikki Chwatt
Nikki Chwatt
Associate Fashion Editor

Nikki Chwatt is an associate fashion editor based in New York City. She joined Who What Wear in 2024 after writing fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content for WWD, Well+Good, Editorialist, and more. With a passion for personal style and the creativity that comes with it, one of Chwatt's goals is to help others understand that there is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” style; it’s just about putting an outfit together that makes you feel confident in yourself.