Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas Turn the Superstar Into an $800 Y-3 Sneaker With a Giant Hole
Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas have put a giant hole in two iconic models for two of their most innovative and expensive sneakers to date under the Y-3 banner.
The Y-3 Gendo series plays with negative space beneath the familiar Superstar and ProModel silhouettes. Instead of their typical sole units, both feature hallowed-out polymer plates to create a void while also adding some serious height. The TPU plate was originally designed by Adidas‘ innovation team for performance purposes, band here it’s transformed with the help of the brand’s long-running fashion partner in Yohji Yamamoto.
Beside the sculpture of a sole unit, the Superstar appears in its one-to-one form with premium leather making up white-and-black and all-black colorways. The high-top ProModel upper takes on an additional transformation through a zip enclosure replacing its conventional lacing system. It too uses premium leather and comes in all-black or all-white.
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Both iterations of the Gendo Superstar feature an off-white and black sole unit, while the Gendo Superstar uses the same blocking underneath the white upper and an all-black unit underneath the black upper.
Sneakers from Y-3 are never cheap, with the entry point typically being $300 and prices going up into the $600 range. The Y-3 Gendo Superstar may still cause sticker shock to those familiar with its offerings, as it’s priced at $800 a pair.
The Y-3 Gendo collection is slated to release Oct. 21 through Adidas’ website and app, as well as Yohji Yamamoto’s website and boutique and select additional retailers. Both versions of the Gendo Superstar are available now, though, on Adidas’ site. Pricing for the Gendo ProModel has yet to be announced.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
