The Adidas Para Bad Bunny Adizero SL 72 Was Worth the Wait

"Originally unveiled to the public at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico in early August, the Adizero SL 72 was a notable standout of the Adidas para Bad Bunny: The Archive exhibit. Perfectly timed to the conclusion of his unprecedented residency on the island, the release celebrates five years of the Puerto Rican performer's partnership with the Three Stripes. The colorway is striking at first glance, maybe even a little overwhelming. But there's a method to the madness."

"The shoe blends the upper of the SL 72 with the sole of the Adizero. The Adizero SL 72 gets its nylon upper from the SL 72, Adidas' first running shoe and first shoe to use nylon, with SL short for "Super Light." The sole, on the other hand, comes from the more modern and technical Adizero, bridging the past and present of Adidas' running history and creating a true offspring of two icons of Adidas' performance heritage."

"It's not just the inspiration that sets it apart. The Adizero SL 72 is unique because, unlike other styles designed through computers, it came together by manually collaging elements from the archivea heartening, albeit old-school, approach to design in the age of AI. The collage elements are evident in the sneaker's cut-and-sew construction, evoking a tactile, arts-and-crafts feel. This the Frankenstein's monster of Adidas sneakers, a chaotic mishmash of colors and lines that, on paper, shouldn't workbut does anyway."

The Adizero SL 72 debuted at the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico as part of the Adidas para Bad Bunny: The Archive exhibit and commemorates five years of Bad Bunny's partnership with Adidas. The silhouette merges brown from The First Cafe, Easter Egg pink, and Blue Tint into a bold, contrasting colorway. The design pairs the SL 72's nylon upper with the modern Adizero sole, blending historical and technical running heritage. Designers assembled the shoe by manually collaging archival elements, resulting in cut-and-sew construction and a tactile, arts-and-crafts feel. The sneaker releases on September 27 via the Confirmed App, adidas.com/badbunny, and select retailers.

Read at www.esquire.com