Adidas Taekwondo Is the Shoe of 2025, According to Fashion Insiders

If you love the Samba, but want something sleeker and more current, there’s another Adidas classic quietly climbing the ranks. Meet the Adidas Taekwondo. The martial arts-inspired shoe first launched in the early 2000s, but with the current obsession over super thin, glove-like silhouettes—think Mary Janes or ballet flats—it’s found its way to the top of the fashion funnel.

You might have spied Jennifer Lawrence in a pair a couple of times this spring, wearing hers with flare jeans. Iris Law recently wore the metallic silver version, styling them with an off-the-shoulder top and a high-slit skirt, proving they look just as great with a more directional outfit.

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The Adidas Taekwondo isn’t just a celebrity favourite—it’s also having a full-on fashion editor moment. I grabbed a pair earlier this year, and as someone who typically loves heels, I’ve surprisingly been wearing them nonstop. These are the type of sneakers that look great with a pair of jeans, dress pants, and mini skirt—nothing is off limits with the versatile design.

That probably explains why I keep seeing so many street style stars pick the Taekwondo over the Samba, as of late. If you’re looking for a sneaker that has history but still feels completely of-the-moment, this is the one to watch.

Don’t wait until everyone’s wearing them. The Taekwondo is already well on its way to being fashion’s next sell-out shoe.

Shop the Adidas Taekwondo

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Alexis Bennett Parker is the Commerce Content Lead at ELLE.com. In this newly created role, she oversees all shopping-related stories online, from fashion-forward trend pieces to the most coveted beauty buys on the market right now. Alexis has worked in the publishing space for 11 years, and seven of those years have been dedicated to helping shoppers make informed purchases—no buyer’s remorse here! Before joining the team at ELLE.com, she worked in the editorial departments of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and InStyle, to name a few magazines. Not only has Alexis worked closely with several brands and tested hundreds of products over the course of her career, but she’s also won awards for her work as a shopping journalist. Namely, she was an honoree at the Pynk Magazine Gala in 2023, received the Condé Nast Commerce Content Award for Best Article by a New Hire in 2021, and was included on the Top 40 Under 40 Heir’s List in 2018.