Adidas SL 72 – A Brief History
Originally designed for the Olympic Games in Munich and was traditionally worn on the podium. The Adidas SL-72 has became an iconic shoe in its own right. With 60 years of the iconic Soles & Stripes of Adidas they celebrate the brands pitch and terrace domination.
The original Adidas Sl72 were constructed from breathable nylon weave, but the shoes most distinctive features were traction tread outsole, built in heel counter and lightweight design hence the name Adidas SL72 (Super Light).
The original was launched as a running/jogging shoe and was launched a few understated colours, unlike its predecessor the sl73, which arrived in bright colours such as bright orange and yellows.
They gained more and more appreciation from the fashion savvy casuals of the 80s who’s collection of Adidas iconic shoes such as the Adidas Sl72 grew and grew.
The Adidas SL72 has always been made using a mixture of nylon fabric and mixed with suede to create a truly lightweight running shoe. Many of the popular shoes of the day were made in fairly understated colours such as blues and browns. These Adidas SL72’s were mainly seen on the podiums of the 1972 Olympics and have gained a cult following among many.
Adidas recently launched a range of Star Wars inspired originals clothes, jackets and trainers. The first collection was inspired by the main characters of the saga and then the ‘Vehicle’ pack focused on a mix of vehicles from the Rebel and Galactic Empire squads, now the collection continues with Han Solo inspired SL72s.
The Han Solo SL72 with its black silver upper, inspired by the time that Han was frozen in carbonite, depicted beautifully in the image printed onto the tongue. Other Star Wars inspired features Han Solo details like the red sides of his pants mimicked by the stripe sewn onto the back of the heel and the man himself immortalized on the side, with ‘HAN SOLO 77’ replacing the usual logo engraving.
These classic trainers will always hold a great deal of respect among the casuals as a group and have been seen on many a football terrace around the country along with other classics such as Adidas Trimm Trabbs, Adidas Forrest Hills and Adidas Gazelles.