The Soon-to-Be It-Girl Sneakers That Are as Cool as Classic Sambas But Not Owned by Everyone—Yet

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Camille wears a black coat with fur trim, white top, and jeans. Another woman wears a brown coat, brown sweater, trousers, and adidas sambas.
(Image credit: @modedamour; @camillecharriere)
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2025 was a significant year for Adidas. The brand released a variety of new chic sneakers, focusing predominantly on reviving retro styles such as the Tokyo, Japan, Taekwondo, and SL 72. And just when we thought they were done for the year, two weeks before 2026, the brand launched a new version of the Adidas Samba to close out the year with a bang. The shoe in question is the Samba Winterized (WTR) Shoe, and in a few weeks, it's set to become the next It-girl shoe.

The Samba WTR, as the name suggests, is a winter-ready take on the classic Adidas Samba, built with heavier materials. The biggest difference is the sole, which is thicker than the original and features a lug bottom that provides traction and stability on icy or uneven terrain. However, the upper has been overhauled too. It features a hairy suede composition and protective synthetic material on the toe box and heel cap. The rope laces add to the rugged, gorpecore-ness of the overall design, while the leather 3-stripes tap into the brand's DNA. Right now in the U.S., the shoe is offered in season-appropriate deep hues like brown and black, but rumors circulating online suggest shoppers can expect more colors in the future.

While the new style just dropped on the brand's site, fashion people on TikTok are already intrigued by it. Fashion influencer Hannah Krohne shared a video on the platform saying, "This shoe looks like a hybrid between a sneaker and dress shoes. A lot of the colors are leather, and the laces are a bit more formal, so in some ways you can wear it as a loafer alternative." In a matter of hours, her video went viral, and TikTok users began sharing their excitement, saying everything from, "These look better than Sambas. The soles on the Sambas never match the colorways, and these look like they match more," to "Wait…I need them. I'm kinda obsessed."

Now it's your turn to decide whether you like them or not. They're already selling out, so if you do, keep scrolling to get your hands on a pair and style them with everything from wide-leg trousers and a fur-trimmed coat to leggings and a puffer jacket this winter.

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Nikki Chwatt
Nikki Chwatt
Associate Fashion Editor

Nikki Chwatt is an associate fashion editor based in New York City. She joined Who What Wear in 2024 after writing fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content for WWD, Well+Good, Editorialist, and more. With a passion for personal style and the creativity that comes with it, one of Chwatt's goals is to help others understand that there is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” style; it’s just about putting an outfit together that makes you feel confident in yourself.