Here's a list of some of the all-time sneaker classics inspired by major European cities including Helsinki, Milan, Amsterdam, and more. From showing off heritages with unique colours and symbolic patterns to ensuring wearers can combat the local weather, these sneakers tell stories of your home city and this read explores their most iconic elements that make the designs so great.
10. Stockholm: Adidas x Sneakersnstuff Stockholm GT
The model was first introduced in the 1980's but four decades later, it was given a formal reintroduction with the Adidas Handball Spezial sole unit and colours inspired by Sweden's capital city, Stockholm.
Sneakersnstuff and Adidas promoted the classic sneaker with retro advertisements such as Rougén's guide to 'Stockholm' in which the sneaker's interesting insole can be seen. A blue and white map of urban Stockholm is printed to give the Adidas sneaker a true connection to the city.
The collaboration brought back a truly loved Adidas classic without morphing the design into a modernised reinterpretation. Sticking with striking colours, minimalism and small gold details, the Stockholm GT has been recognised as a premium-quality sneaker. A perfect collaboration for the locals; the Sneakersnstuff company was actually founded in Stockholm so it makes
perfect sense to have them join forces with the Adidas team when creating this 2020 city-theme sneaker. Sweden's capital is greatly known for being the home of many colourful buildings but, generally speaking, neutral colour palettes are more prevalent throughout Scandinavian fashion. Quality tends to be the main selling point, but form, of course, cannot be abandoned. With the use of premium leather all throughout the sneaker's upper and an uncluttered colour palette, the SNS GT is very much on theme. An all-time classic continues its popularity.
9. Dublin: Size? x Adidas “City Series” Dublin
As seen in the previous Adidas sneaker, the "City Series" holds a very strong design path of encapsulating the major regional tones and fashion. This Size? exclusive takes inspiration from the iconic Irish symbol, the shamrock as not only does it repeat on the insole, but it also makes up the sneaker's strong colour palette. These were also conveniently set to release on March 17th 2018 so many dubbed them the St. Patricks.
A truly special representation of the Irish capital on a very iconic and historic Adidas model that has stood the test of time. A deluxe theme is built with the smooth suede upper, white leather stripes, and gold foil branding. It's a simple sneaker but simultaneously very loud; classic style with powerful colour.
8. Milan: Nike Internationalist City QS ‘Milan’
In celebration of Milan, Nike released this City Pack sneaker which takes inspiration from the stone that runs throughout the city streets and also from the bronze elements embedded into local churches.
Of course, the country is very well-known for its cuisine, art, and also its wine so it's very likely the outsole and branding on the tongue and heel were inspired by a glass of Dolcetto.
The Nike Internationalist was actually first
released in the 1980s as running shoes but nowadays, they are mostly considered a streetwear staple. This colourway perfectly encapsulates the city of Milan. These sneakers could almost blend straight into the cobble paths but the different shades of grey could be representative of the huge population of pigeons roaming around public squares; a big hit for tourists. Being released on 5th June 2014, this sneaker came just in time for a very hot summer and the World Cup.
7. London: Adidas TFL Temper Run
In October 2018, Adidas Originals and Transport for London (TfL) joined forces to celebrate 15 years of the Oyster Card by launching the "Oyster Club Pack" which consists of three unique models; the Continental 80, ZX 500RM and Temper Run.
From this collection, only 1500 pairs were made and each pair also comes with an Oyster card with £80 in credit so the £80 retail price point of the sneaker was an absolute steal.
Perfectly representing London's famous Underground system, the Temper Run model features the iconic logo and 'MIND
THE GAP' slogan on the tongue, and the
mesh and colouring of the upper are very representative of some of the most repeated elements that can be seen while travelling through the London Underground such as the clean grey walls and floors, blue seats, and yellow handrails. The suede componentry adds a soft touch of luxury to the sneaker.
6. Prague: Footshop x Adidas Superstar ‘Blueprinting’
Released just two years ago in October 2020, this awesome Adidas sneaker tells the story of 'blueprinting' or 'modrotisk', a 300-year-old cultural heritage of Czechia but also Slovakia, Austria, Germany and Hungary.
A Prague exclusive; only 520 pairs were made and sold solely at Footshop in the city centre. Due to the local interest in hiking and the outdoors, the silhouette gained metal D-rings and a corrugated sole. These small but meaningful elements newly implemented into the Adidas sneaker made for a 100% authentic Czech experience honouring beautiful traditions.
5. Oslo: Puma Oslo City Re.Gen
The original PUMA Oslo was released in time for the 1952 Winter Olympics held in Norway, however, since then, they have received a couple of revisions and updates.
In the RE.GEN collection, Puma chose to focus on sustainability by only using recycled materials and incorporating industrial waste that other Puma apparel and footwear has generated throughout production. The upper is constructed with a mix of suede, leather and textiles for a solid balance between long-lasting durability and also a lightweight feel.
A strong utilitarian aesthetic is built by the layering of functional eyestays, a rubber sole unit, the use of multiple stitch rows, and contrast zigzag stitching.
Despite being a throwback sneaker, this Re.Gen model creates a purely modern piece of art.
4. Ljubljana: Jordan Luke 1 Habitat
Coming from the capital, Ljubljana, the Slovenian basketball star, Luka Dončić wanted his new shoe to pay homage to his home nation. He mentions that this new release represents the colours of his hometown and country while the green insole is representative of its nature.
It's not very common that Balkan nations are represented in footwear designs so it's a very special occasion now that Slovenia has been given some attention through this pair of Luka 1's.
This model takes on a sleek aesthetic with very light grey componentry and laces and adds a pop of colour through the blue
tongue, heel and branding on the midsole but also vibrant orange dynamic features surrounding the sole unit.
The cords featured on both the lateral and medial sides of the sneaker are actually known as Flightwire cables and these were engineered by the Jordan team to maintain a snug fit while on the court.
Taking a sustainable approach to this footwear design with the Move to Zero initiative, Jordan made sure to represent their efforts in this clean colourway and logo which is printed onto the insole.
3. Athens: Nike WMNS LunarTempo 2 “Athens”
In an effort to unite female runners from all around the world, Nike honoured the 2016 summer Olympics with the Nike Women's Victory Tour Pack which represents a series of 10 races in 10 major cities, one of which is Athens, the sunny capital of Greece.
One of the more artistic designs from this list, the Nike WMNS LunarTempo 2 "Athens" takes inspiration from the capital's ancient architecture. For example, the gold swoosh hints at the symbolism of gold in ancient Greece and how the Gods are depicted being draped in it, the front elevation view of a blue structure which is printed onto the
insert is representative of the Old Temple of Athena, and the free-flowing blue wave-and-ripple-like forms are highly suggestive of the nearby coast.
Sticking true to the sporty theme of this Athens-inspired sneaker, small oval perforations at the heel reflect light so you can continue running through the night.
2. Helsinki: KARHU “Helsinki Run” Pack Fusion 2.0
As part of the "Helsinki Run" Pack trio, KARHU released this beautiful Fusion 2.0 sneaker which celebrates the brand's introduction to the Hong Kong market.
To show love for the capital city of the brand's home nation, these sneakers represent the Helsinki residents' passion for work, play and exercise.
A perfect blend of premium materials and sporty aesthetics, this KARHU model is a great representation of both the brand's innovation and the nation's love of the great outdoors.
All three models from this pack make great use of colour-blocking, but the blue and burgundy tones of this Fusion 2.0 model accentuate the dynamic shapes and componentry that distinguish the KARHU style.
1. Amsterdam: Scotch & Soda Amsterdam Proof Vivex sneaker
The Dutch brand, Scotch & Soda, has the mission to "celebrate the free spirit of Amsterdam" by taking inspiration from the city's liberal outlook. This modern brand with strong beliefs in authenticity has awesome apparel and footwear for men, women and kids.
Their Amsterdam Proof Vivex sneaker was designed to face the elements of Amsterdam's oceanic climate; from the high winds to the heavy rains.
Made with stretchy recycled and synthetic nylon, this sneaker has capabilities of water resistance but also allows you to easily slip it onto and off of your foot.
To combat the grey of a rainy day, Scotch & Soda brings all the colour back with this vibrant design. With such a utilitarian construction and upper design, the contrasting bright tones create a very explorative and entirely unique lifestyle sneaker.
Thank you for reading! If you would like 'Sneakers Inspired By Your City' to become a series, or perhaps you would like to see another book review, a footwear design tutorial, or have any other suggestions, please drop your thoughts below!
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