Adidas’s Skate Division Just Won’t Stop

Skater Blondey McCoy gets a see-through Superstar.
clear adidas sneakers
Adidas x Blondey McCoyCourtesy of Adidas

When it comes to skate shoes, it feels like Adidas has been on a hot streak all year long. The brand unleashed the signature sneaker of skyrocketing pro skater Tyshawn Jones, a stylish basketball-inspired design that is as head-turning as Jones is when he is popping over trash cans with ease. There was the outdoorsy collection of shoes and apparel with the beloved New York skate shop Alltimers. And now, to finish the year off strong, the Three Stripes has teamed up with pro-skater-slash-model-slash-artist Blondey McCoy on his version of the iconic Superstar.

Adidas x Blondey McCoyCourtesy of Adidas

The British skater, who has been riding for Adidas since 2016, is no stranger to next-level fashion. After all, when he's not skating around London, he's walking on runways for the likes of Burberry and Louis Vuitton. So, here, McCoy has taken the Superstar ’80s silhouette (the only shoe he skates in) and updated the sneaker with a translucent upper while keeping the classic three-stripe black motifs. The sneaker looks a little like glass, which only seems to add to the allure of skating in something that seems so fragile. (It's not—the sneaker has been given the full skateability treatment.) And as with any excellent signature sneaker, McCoy's name is stamped in gold foil on the side. (He also designed a trio of soccer-inspired socks to be released alongside the model as a nod to his preferred riding kit: high socks and shorts.)

Adidas x Blondey McCoyCourtesy of Adidas

Even though the limited-edition sneaker was designed for skating, it certainly doesn't look the part. The see-through upper and design-oriented details are closer to something you'd expect from a high-fashion house. (Luxury fashion's love of transparent materials has been on the rise in the past year.) This is where Adidas Skateboarding seems to have found its niche: putting style and swagger at the core of its products, as opposed to high-tech performance like its biggest competitor does. Its roster of skaters—including the younger generation of McCoy and Jones, as well as older skaters like the legendary Mark Gonzales—tend to be as loved for their standout personal style as their ability on the board. By letting its skaters run wild with design, Adidas has found itself with a lineup of fashion-forward kicks that you can actually skate in.

Adidas x Blondey McCoyCourtesy of Adidas

$110, available December 14 via Adidas.