Adidas Skateboarding has released four updated versions of their most popular vintage skate shoes. The new collection includes the Superstar 80 ADV, Pro Model 80 ADV, Centennial 85 Low ADV, and Busenitz, all redesigned for today’s skaters. These shoes combine the classic look that made them famous with new technology that makes them better for skating. The release comes as retro sneakers become more popular with both skaters and fashion fans. Why are vintage-style shoes suddenly everywhere in 2025?
The Superstar 80 ADV started as a basketball shoe in the 1970s but became a street culture icon. The shell-toe design made it instantly recognizable and helped it cross over from sports to fashion. The Pro Model 80 ADV also comes from basketball history, featuring the high-top style that defined athletic shoes in the late 70s. Both shoes have been worn by skaters for decades, even though they weren’t originally made for skateboarding.
The Centennial 85 Low ADV represents the mid-80s when athletic shoes started getting more technical features. This shoe bridges the gap between simple canvas sneakers and the high-tech athletic footwear that came later. The Busenitz is the newest of the four, originally created for pro skater Dennis Busenitz in the 2000s when skate shoe design had become highly specialized.
All four models now feature ADV technology, which means they’ve been upgraded specifically for skateboarding. The improvements include stronger materials in areas that wear out quickly, better rubber soles for grip on skateboard decks, and padding that protects feet during impacts. These changes make the shoes perform better while keeping the classic looks that made them popular.
Vintage skate shoes have become a major trend across the skateboarding industry. Skaters want products that connect them to the sport’s history, especially as skateboarding gains mainstream acceptance after being added to the Olympics. This trend also matches growing interest in sustainable fashion, since timeless designs last longer than trendy styles that go out of fashion quickly.
Modern skaters need shoes that can handle technical tricks while still looking good off the skateboard. This requirement has pushed brands to innovate with materials and construction methods. The result is shoes that honor classic designs while meeting today’s performance standards. Skateboarding shoes now appeal to many different people, from actual skaters to fashion fans who like the style and culture associated with skating.
This broader appeal has made the skateboarding shoe market much bigger. Brands now have to think about both skating performance and everyday wear when they design new shoes. The vintage approach works well because it offers real skateboarding history with modern styling. People want products that have meaning beyond just how they work, and these classic designs have stories that new designs can’t match.
Adidas has an advantage because they can look through decades of shoe designs from different sports and cultural movements. This gives them authentic material that competitors can’t copy easily. The company isn’t just re-releasing old shoes; they’re updating each design to meet current performance needs while keeping what made them special in the first place.
The success of similar retro collections from other brands shows there’s strong demand for this approach. Brands with long histories can use their archives for inspiration, while newer companies have to find other ways to create products with similar cultural connections. Good storytelling has become important in product marketing, making authentic historical connections more valuable.
The collection shows how established brands can respect their past while meeting present needs. Success requires understanding both what made original designs work and how to apply those ideas to modern performance requirements. The Busenitz gets special attention in this update, reflecting twenty years of skateboarding changes since it first appeared. These shoes represent adidas’ effort to honor skateboarding history while helping the sport move forward.
