Paul Smith links with Adidas and Man U on limited Stan Smith release

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Oct 3, 2022

This is quite a collection of big names: Paul Smith, Stan Smith, Adidas Originals and Manchester United. Put them all together and you have the latest in collaborations with the UK designer, the German sportswear giant, former tennis great, and the English Premiership team launching a limited-edition Stan Smith sneaker, “widely considered to be one of the most iconic trainers of all time”.

Released as part of the AW22 season, the collaboration is a “salute” to the long-standing partnership between Manchester United and Paul Smith, the label serving as the club’s official tailoring partner and outfitting the team for match days, “as well as a nod to Paul’s enduring respect for design classics”. 

Meanwhile, the sneaker design also “maintains the integrity of the original tennis silhouette” – which was first released in 1965 – “while adding Paul Smith’s signature witty twist”, we’re told.

Made from premium cloud white leather, the sneaker features embossed line portraits of the two Smiths on the right and left tongues, respectively, and their names on the uppers. 

Also, Manchester United’s ‘Red Devil’ logo appears on the heel tab, while the team’s red, white and grey striped colourway features on the insole, underside of the tongue, and lace-ends. 

The run is limited to 1,946 pairs worldwide, a number chosen since it is the shared birth year of Sir Paul and Stan Smith.