Adilette
The adidas Adilette is the slide with one wide strap and the three stripes, a familiar sight at swimming pools and in changing rooms since 1972. These days you wear it on the street just as easily, with or without socks. Besides the classic Adilette from adidas, the Adilette 22 is especially popular, with its striking layered shape.
The history of the adidas Adilette
According to adidas’ own story, Adi Dassler wanted a slide so footballers would not have to walk into the showers barefoot after a match. It took a while before there was a production technique for the soft footbed, and in 1972 the Adilette went on sale. It became a fixture in sports halls and clubs, and later in fashion as well.
Exactly fifty years after the first version, the Adilette 22 appeared in 2022. That model broke with the familiar shape and almost entirely let go of the three stripes.
Design: classic or Adilette 22
- Adilette: one strap across the foot with the three stripes and a contoured footbed that supports your foot. Simple and recognisable, and often the base for collaborations.
- Adilette 22: moulded in one piece, with wavy layers inspired by topographic maps. The EVA foam is partly made from sugarcane.
Popular Adilette colorways
With the Adilette 22 it is mostly about natural tones and a few bright outliers. These pairs are currently getting the most views on WOOVIN:
- Adilette 22 ‘Clay Strata’: warm clay and earth tones.
- Adilette 22 ‘Magic Lime’: bright lime green all over.
- Adilette 22 ‘Carbon Aluminum’: dark grey with lighter grey layers.
- Adilette x Wales Bonner ‘Night Indigo Scarlet’: an Adilette by designer Grace Wales Bonner, in dark blue with red and brown.
- Adilette 22 ‘Core Black’: black with white, the easiest pick.
What is the difference between the Adilette 22 and the Yeezy Slide?
Both are moulded from a single piece of foam, but they look very different. The Yeezy Slide is clean and smooth, with a thick sole and no logo at all. The Adilette 22 has visible layers in the strap and sole, which gives it a more technical look. If you want a closed foam slip-on that you can also wear out of the house, look at the Crocs Classic Clog.
How does the adidas Adilette fit?
According to adidas, the Adilette 22 fits true to size, so you can order your usual adidas size. The strap cannot be adjusted, and some wearers find the 22 a little roomier than the classic Adilette. If you are between two sizes, the smaller one is usually the better choice on this model. For the classic Adilette, follow the size chart on the product page.
Buy the adidas Adilette at WOOVIN
On WOOVIN you will mainly find the Adilette 22 in earth tones, greys, black and bright colours, plus collaborations such as the one with Wales Bonner. If you mostly wear it by the pool, a dark colour shows the least dirt. Looking for something that stands out? Then Magic Lime and the Wales Bonner version are the obvious candidates.
