Sometimes, it’s best not to mess with a good thing. Maybe that’s Crazy Raccoon’s approach to its latest collaboration with adidas.
The Japanese esports organization teamed up with adidas and atmos to recreate the ever-popular Samba sneaker. When a shoe like the Samba has seen dozens of makeovers and almost unrecognizable spins from collaborators, it can be hard to predict what the next designer will bring to the table.
This collaboration marks the first between adidas, atmos, and Crazy Raccoon. The egame company previously conquered clothing merch with Fortnite, but the latest comes as their first-ever shoe project.
But given the team’s name, I was surprised that the results were very… calm.
Crazy Raccoon’s Instagram page gave fans a taste of its Samba collab. Even from the snippet, the simplicity of the design shines through.
The adidas Samba sneaker is covered in sleek black leather through the upper and tongue. The model is further topped with classic Three Stripes in contrasting white and some seemingly suede touches around the toe box.
As the traditional rubber sole gets doused in black, Crazy Raccoon leaves its mark with red branding, replacing the normal “Samba” logo on the sidewalls. The brand’s bright red presence strikes the Samba’s tongue, too.
Basically, the Crazy Raccoon x atmos x adidas Samba is a standard black Samba with a few quiet updates…well, so far.
The collaborative Samba has yet to be revealed in its entirety. So who knows? The shoe may live up to the wild expectations.
Even if the design is simple, that doesn’t mean fans won’t snatch the pairs up with speed. Dover Street Market, known for its simple sneaker collaborations, delivered an exclusive spin on the Sambas a few months ago. They’ve since sold out and fetch up to $300 on the resale market.
The Dover Street Market Samba sneakers certainly kept the integrity of the adidas shoe intact and swapped out the classic leather for a fresh matte material. A similar vibe sort of follows with Crazy Raccoon’s collab.
Regardless, if you’re a massive esports gamer or just want a new pair of Sambas that’s just a liiitttle different, Crazy Racoon’s adidas sneakers deliver.