My digital footprint speaks for itself: I'm clearly pro-chunky sneakers. (See my deep-dive into Dakota Johnson's trademark trainers for proof.) No matter how many articles I write, however, the slim sneaker community stands firm in its Adidas Sambas stance, with Sophie Turner as the supreme Sneakerhead-in-Chief.
The Game of Thrones alum's closet boasts four low-profile Sambas (that we know of), which she started collecting in 2022. She owns the black, white, and green versions, but the latter color gets the most bang for her buck. On July 9, the Northampton native was spotted in London's Notting Hill with her boyfriend, Peregrine Pearson. Turner avoided the limelight in cozy loungewear, most notably, her all-time favorite green sneakers.
Turner chose the original all-leather silhouette, which evolved from a style debuting in 1950 Germany into the official Adidas Samba introduced in 1972. Her quintessential Sambas featured reinforced T-toes and serrated triple stripes on each sidewall (an Adidas calling card). The rubber gum soles upped the nostalgia supplied by the already-retro uppers.
The color started and ended with Turner's Sambas—she paired them with a two-tone groutfit. Even though the forecast showed a high of 89° Fahrenheit, the 29-year-old went with a heather gray long-sleeve. Its cropped hem offered a little reprieve from the London heat. Then, she slipped on low-waisted sweatpants in a slightly darker shade of gray. A micro-mini shoulder bag in ivory completed her off-duty outfit.
Turner's loyalties lie with Adidas, but on June 3, she teased the end of an era. At a SXSW London event, Turner swapped her signature Sambas for fellow Londoner Dua Lipa's favorite shoes: Puma Speedcats. The Puma newbie had never publicly worn the '90s racing-inspired sneakers before, but she looked quite comfortable in them alongside Khaite jeans. However, a month later, she came strolling back to her tried-and-trues, courtesy of Adidas.
If her latest looks signal anything, it's that Turner is experimenting with new sneakers (without deterring too far from skinny silhouettes). Perhaps she'll finally get my (not-so) subtle hint and give dad-ish New Balance sneakers a go.
