As winter weather closes in, many will stow their summer sneakers in favor of hardy winter boots—but a new collaboration between Adidas and Gore-Tex just might allow a certain iconic sneaker to step out into the cold season.
Adidas’ new Stan Smith Gore-Tex Infinium Thermium looks nearly identical to the original Stan Smith sneaker but the interior lining features Gore-Tex’s latest footwear weather solution, Infinium Thermium. The lining essentially is a “super-thin” membrane that insulates the wearer without significantly impacting the design of the silhouette—opening up opportunities to create brand-new all-weather footwear styles.
“Thanks to Gore-Tex Infinium Thermium product technology, warmth and style can both be found in a slim silhouette stylish shoe,” the technical fabric brand said about the technology. “The patented ultra-thin insulation only surrounds the toes, where your feet get coldest. This keeps your feet noticeably warmer outdoors, without overheating indoors; providing comfort all day long.”
Despite more technical underpinnings, the iconic silhouette is largely unchanged in the new collaboration. The design, apart from the lining and additional Gore-Tex branding, is a mostly faithful recreation of the original Stan Smith sneaker—a white leather upper contrasted with a green “Trefoil” heel tab and paired with a white rubber cupsole—including the signature portrait of the tennis star embossed on the tongue of the sneaker.
Adidas has established a track record of experimenting with Gore-Tex for its outdoor footwear, including adding a Gore-Tex comfort lining to its most popular outdoor style, the Terrex Free Hiker, at the beginning of September.
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“We believe that, through sport, we have the power to change lives. As a brand, we want to inspire people to spend more time outdoors for better health, happiness and creativity,” Tim Janaway said of adding Gore-Tex to the outdoor silhouette.
The footwear brand also adapted its Boost cushioning technology into the Terrex Free Hiker, another demonstration of Adidas’s willingness to combine elements from its respective lines in order to improve the performance and versatility of its footwear.
Brands a forging ahead with all-weather options. Earlier in the month, Allbirds also released its own weather-minded Mizzle collection—bolstered by an Oeko-Tex Eco Passport-certified water repellent the brand calls “Puddle Guard.” Instead of a traditional lining, Allbirds’ Puddle Guard is a fluorine-free layer of synthesized thermoplastic polyurethane that is inserted between the wool upper and the interior of the shoe, according to the brand.