adidas Taekwondo runners

Taekwondo

In the 1980s, adidas launched a slimline trainer with an agile build optimised for the dynamic movement, consummate balance and lightning-fast reflexes required of martial arts like taekwondo. By the 2000s, the shoe had migrated to the streets, becoming popular as a lifestyle silhouette. In honour of its sporting history and cultural impact, adidas reinvented the decades-old design, releasing it as the women’s exclusive Taekwondo in 2024.

The upper of the adidas Taekwondo features a sleek, streamlined shape formed of glossy leather, plush suede or premium nubuck. Its slip-on design has a smooth shroud over the tongue instead of any laces, with the foot held in place by an elastic closure system. This ensures a snug fit while working with the soft inner lining to facilitate easy on and off for on-the-go comfort. Leather 3-Stripes logos punctuate each flank beside subtle lines of breathable perforations, an angular leather tab accents the heel and arcing lines of stitching reinforce the forefoot.

The sole unit of the Taekwondo is as minimal and lightweight as its upper, with a thin layer of comfort-giving foam atop a rubber outsole with delicate wavy tread patterns. A set of concentric pivot circles on the inside of the forefoot make the shoe nimble and manoeuvrable, contributing to its overall excellent grip. Its ultra-low-profile build combined with that of the upper lends the Taekwondo a barefoot feel which offers the wearer a great balance of stability, comfort and support.

The adidas Taekwondo has a refined aesthetic inspired by its martial arts heritage. Focussing on lightweight wearability and stripped-back elegance, it displays the adidas mountain logo on the heel tab and tongue shroud, with intricately stitched effects across the forefoot and heel evoking sophisticated craftsmanship and a vintage sporting look. Lastly, a tag on the lateral flank features the text “SMII-LS” as an homage to the name of the original martial arts shoe.

Since the reintroduction of the Taekwondo in 2024, the sneaker has grown swiftly in popularity, and adidas has increased the range with the Taekwondo Lace, which features a traditional lacing system but is otherwise the same classy sneaker. With new colourways released in 2025, it became a stylish retro fashion icon and a social media sensation thanks to influential celebrities like Jennifer Lawrence and Iris Law, who both showcased the Taekwondo’s timeless casual look by wearing it as part of a laid-back outfit.

Originally built for nimble agility and unmatched speed, the adidas Taekwondo is light yet durable with a stylistic versatility and graceful sophistication that sets it apart from other contemporary sneakers.