What is black and white and worn all over? The Adidas Superstar, of course. With its iconic three-stripe design, these sneakers are today’s hottest trend. Worn by athletes and supermodels alike, the Adidas Superstar shoes have seen a rapid increase in popularity over the past few years. However, few people know the unique history that these shoes hold.

The year was 1969. Man took his first steps on the moon, The Beatles released their final album together, and Adidas released the Superstar shoe, a low-top version of the Adidas Pro Model. At the time, this shoe was the first low-top basketball shoe to have an all-leather upper and rubber toe. This was groundbreaking for a time when canvas basketball shoes were considered the norm.

The Adidas Superstar’s unique Nike Air Max 95 Damen features quickly became popular amongst the NCAA and NBA. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, six-time NBA Most Valuable Player and highest scorer in NBA history, was perhaps the Superstar’s biggest fan. In 1971, Adidas became one of the first companies to release player-endorsed basketball shoes. Jabbar’s Adidas set the bar for future signature player sneakers.

In just a few short years, this revolutionary shoe was being worn by over 75 percent of all NBA players. The rubber shell on the toe (which gave the shoe the nickname “shell shoes”) provided players with superior protection and durability and Adidas’ newly developed cushioning technology gave the players better comfort compared to past sneakers.

In 1983, Run-D.M.C., a rap group from Hollis Queens, New York, began to appear on the rap music scene. The trio stood out for rebelling Nike Air Max 720 Dame against the traditional flashy attire Nike Air Max 90 Femme of rhinestones and spikes that most musical artists had been wearing up until this point. Instead, the group decided to dress on stage the same way they dressed on the streets. This included kangol hats, leather jackets and unlaced Adidas Superstars. The shoe received a lot of promotion from the rap group as they performed in them on their tours across the United States.

The group attempted to flip the negative stereotype associated with “b-boy” and hip-hop culture. A few years later, Adidas signed a $1.6 million endorsement deal with Run-D.M.C. This was the first collaboration between hip-hop artists and a major corporation. Together, Adidas and Run-D.M.C. created a limited edition Superstar sneaker as well as a clothing line, which is still in production today under the label “Adidas Originals.”

2005 marked the 35th Nike Cortez Mujer anniversary of the Adidas Superstar. To celebrate, Adidas created the “Adidas Superstar 35th Anniversary Collection,” a collaboration with music, fashion and art icons from around the world. Andy Warhol, Disney and Missy Elliot all designed a unique pair of limited-edition Superstar shoes.

Currently, Pharrell Williams has teamed up with Adidas for a Superstar collaboration titled “Supercolor.” In a celebration of equality through diversity, Adidas has come out with 50 different colors of the Superstar in order to promote individual style.

The Superstar shoe has a long past and a bright future. These sneakers have now become part of popular fashion and are worn regularly as a trend as well as an athletic shoe. Its basic silhouette has proved to be timeless and appeals to people of all different shapes and sizes. The iconic Adidas Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Womens Superstar will be able to fit copious wardrobes for years to come.