adidas Superstar 2 “Buenos Aires”

  • MODEL: ADIDAS SUPERSTAR 2
  • SERIES: ADIDAS SUPERSTAR 35TH ANNIVERSARY 35TH ANNIVERSARY CITIES SERIES
  • MADE IN: INDONESIA
  • MADE ON: --/04
  • ART.NO: 132316

In 2005 adidas released the legendary 35th Anniversary Superstar Collection. Seven of these 35 very special Superstars were part of the “Cities Series” of that release. With this series, adidas sought to celebrate some of the more culturally vibrant cities around the world that helped to make the Superstar the icon that it is today. The Buenos Aires is probably the most colorful of the cities series, ‘repping Argentina’s capitol and the city that is often called the “Paris of South America”.

Like all of the shoes in the cities series, the Buenos Aires are based on the Superstar 2 design. They could more specifically be called what Superstar fans call “metals” due to the metal eyelets on the shoes that are stamped with the “Superstar” text. The eyelets on all of the cities series shoes are color matched to the upper, thus avoiding the less desirable (to some) natural metal colored eyelets that may distract from the overall design of the shoe.

Another element that distinguishes this from a typical Superstar 2 would be the tumbled leather of the upper. Tumbled leather is created by abrading the leather with small pebbles resulting in a distinct look with a very soft texture. This tumbled leather is covered with a lovely Argentine blue and dotted with small smiling suns that symbolize the Sun of May depicted on the Argentine flag. Lending to the overall brighter color scheme of the shoe are the white midsole, shelltoe, stripes, and heel cap.

A key lime color covers the outsole and the top of the tongue and also makes an appearance on the right side of the leather strip going down the back of the heel. The red from the “mouths” of the sun is also repeated in the adidas trefoil and text on the heel cap and as a thin line down the back of the heel and on the stitching on the sole. Similar to all of the shoes in the cities series, the outer heel on both shoes carries the gold text, “I (trefoil) Buenos Aires”. The shoes shipped with four set of laces (white, key lime, red, and Argentine blue) and gold lace jewels.

Among fans and collectors of the Superstar, the Buenos Aires seems to be one of those shoes that you either love or… don’t love (the word “hate” can never be used when discussing 35ths). That’s possibly due to it’s bold, rather offbeat, colorway or maybe it’s simply because it’s the second least populous of all the cities featured in the series. Whatever the reason, legit, brand new, and deadstock pairs can still be found with relative ease. That’s good news if you’re looking to add a little sunshine into your life, South American style.

written by Michael Sterling

photography by errol