adidas Originals NMD Shoes

The Past Drives the Future

When adidas designer Nic Galway was tasked with creating a retro-inspired shoe, he told his team to go to the archives, study the shoes, and then leave them in the archives. He wanted them to create based on what they could remember. If it wasn’t distinct enough to last in memory, it wasn’t essential.

Taking three iconic shoes from the ’80s, adidas infused them with modern technology, like a Boost midsole and Primeknit upper. The adidas Micropacer, the Rising Star, and the Boston Super were all created in a time of innovative energy. From this pioneering spirit, the adidas NMD was born.

Function Inspires Form

Even though adidas wanted to make a shoe inspired by the ’80s, they also wanted to make something cutting-edge. They incorporated their running technology, the Boost midsole, into the shoe for responsive comfort, while adding a Primeknit upper for a sock-like fit that’s both comfortable and supportive.

Every piece of the NMD has a purpose. The three-stripe branding provides midfoot support, and the blocking on the side of the midsole isn’t merely a callback to the adidas Micropacer – it’s fundamental to the shoe’s structure. By stripping the sneaker down to its essentials, adidas created the NMD’s simple, streamlined silhouette.

Each iteration of the adidas NMD maintained this function-first mentality. After the adidas NMD_R1, the NMD_R2 got rid of the foam blocking on the midsole for a clean, aerodynamic look. The minimalist NMD_CS1 and NMD_CS2 ditch laces altogether, relying solely on the Primeknit upper to keep the foot in place. Throughout every version, there’s a clear theme: if it doesn’t have a purpose, it doesn’t belong.

Why NMD?

The adidas NMD isn’t a shoe tied to one era. It was inspired by the ’80s, built with futuristic technology, and revolutionizing streetwear today. It’s made to explore streets and decades, crossing boundaries whenever and wherever. It’s a nomad, free of limits and ready to go anywhere you take it.