Looking at the lightweight sole unit and mesh upper of the adidas Adizero Adios OG, you’d be forgiven for thinking that this has always been a lifestyle silhouette. Today’s specialist runners feature inch-high, carbon-plated sole units and semi-transparent ripstop uppers, after all.

You’d be wrong. Back in 2008, this silhouette broke the world record marathon time on the feet of Haile Gebrselassie in Berlin. Now, the design has retired and dresses in a more style-forward way. The adidas Adizero Adios OG Billy’s Exclusive is undebatably Miu Miu-coded.

While the Miu Miu x New Balance collaboration that kicked off in 2022 made an impact at the time, nobody could have predicted the kind of long-lasting effects that the design would have.

Double laces, super-slim sole units, and suede uppers have become a failsafe option across the sneaker industry when it comes to adding a touch of luxury to any silhouette.

Japanese retailer Billy’s has already proven the sticking power of this technique on the adidas Adizero Adios OG which dropped in two neutral palettes last year. Now, the partnership is running it back with beige and black options.

Although the double rope laces are a defining aspect of the design, for those who’d rather keep this pair as understated as possible, fear not because they come with tonal options, too.

Billy’s may not be the first or the last to roll out this style, but the consistent rehashing of a niche design that originated with Miu Miu does raise the ultimate question of the sneaker industry as a whole: where do we draw the line between inspiration and copy?

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