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Bad Bunny isn’t afraid to smash traditional style conventions. The Puerto Rican mega-star has been known to dabble in all sorts of sartorial shenanigans, from Prada and leather pavas to backless Jacquemus suiting, often to critical acclaim and tremendous amounts of social media swooning.
But Benito also clearly understands the merits of playing by the rules once in a while. Case in point: wearing his very own wavy Adidas sneakers to a raucous Knicks-Celtics Game 4 at Madison Square Garden last night was absolutely the right call. Even with a courtside jam-packed with NYC’s finest celebs — Stiller, Spike, a Timbed-up Chalamet — Bad Bunny stood out as swaglord supreme, dripped out in a sheeny leather bomber, capri-length shorts, vintage Knicks hat and perhaps more importantly, a pair of funky, bold gold Adidas trainers.
The sneakers in question are none other than the Adidas Para Bad Bunny Ballerina sneakers, a pair of slimmed-down, gum-soled suede and canvas retros that fall somewhere between the red-hot Taekwondo trainers and ballet pointe shoes. The sneakers, designed by Benito himself, feature hallmarks of past collabs — the heel-stitched size tag has become a staple of Bad Bunny x Adidas, and the toggle lacing system feels distinctly BB — and minimalist Adidas branding, plastered over luxe suede and hefty canvas.
This, beyond being a total flex since the sneakers immediately sold out, is an excellent illustration of the cardinal rule of sneakers — that is, wear your kicks. Especially if you designed them. After all, the reports of the death of sneakers seem to have been exaggerated, and with summer right around the corner, some trusty footwear can be the difference between an otherwise boring look and the warm-weather ‘fit of your life.
The Shoe Styles That Should Be on Your Radar This Summer
Choose your footwear fighterThe Adidas Para Bad Bunny Ballerina sneakers are currently only available through third-party resellers like StockX and GOAT, but we’ve identified a variety of retro Adidas sneakers that should scratch the banana-blasted itch, including a pair of (on-sale) carbon-copy dupes in the Barreda Decode sneakers. Find them, and more, below, or shop the entirety of Adidas’ sneaker catalogue here.
Shop Adidas Sneakers
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