The adidas Superstar sneaker, redesigned by Avavav, is still a Superstar at its core: Same iconic rubber shell toe, same unmistakable DNA. But it’s been warped into something far stranger and more sculptural.

The sole of AVAVAV’s adidas Superstar, renamed the “SST,” bulges and swells, almost like the shoe is caught mid-melt. It’s both cartoonish and loud. The upper is done in a distressed two-tone finish, giving the whole thing a lived-in vibe that weirdly works. 

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I’ve seen the adidas Superstar shoe reworked more times than I can count — BAPE, Pharrell, Wales Bonner, Y-3, Clot, Prada — and honestly, I thought I was done being surprised. That was before AVAVAV stepped in. Now, the classic shell-toe sneaker looks like it’s been put in a microwave.

AVAVAV is a Florentine fashion label making a name with absurdist silhouettes and runway stunts that go viral. At Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025, for example, it staged a satirical track meet in collaboration with adidas where models ran a 100-meter dash in distorted sportswear, blending fashion with performance art. And now, it’s brought that same surrealist energy to one of adidas’ most iconic shoes.

There’s something kind of brilliant about AVAVAV applying its flamboyant designs to such an iconic piece of sneaker history. It’s sacrilegious in all the right ways. But compared to the Moonrubber sneakers from the same collection, this pair of adidas sneakers is still a lot more wearable.

The AVAVAV Superstar shoe, available on adidas’ website for $280, is ugly and beautiful at the same time. And that’s exactly what makes it so good.

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