The adidas revival can be attributed to many people: Bella Hadid, Grace Wales Bonner, football fans in 70s England. But the adidas Spezial on the other hand? Well, we have Gary Aspden to thank for that. The sneaker was originally released in 1979 as a performance shoe for elite handball players and later became a linchpin of terrace culture. Aspden vividly recalls the power of those three stripes on his home turf in Northern England, which is partly why he began working for the German brand in the 90s. Now, as other adidas styles like the Samba and Country are introduced to a new generation of fans, people are beginning to encounter the Spezial – which may not be the brand's most popular shoe, but it could be argued that it is its' most consistent.

As chief curator of the Spezial line, Aspden signs off on all the collaborations – including the latest with Liam Gallagher. So yes, we have him to thank for all those nostalgic colourways and special releases.

But what about when you can't get your hands on the adidas Spezial? What then? Like the adidas Samba, there are sneakers that will scratch that same itch if not fill the void. From the adidas Country to Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66, below we bring you a curated selection of 10 sneakers to shop when you can't get your hands on a pair of adidas Spezials.

adidas Country OG

ONITSUKA TIGER Mexico 66

REPRODUCTION OF FOUND German Military Trainer

LOEWE Suede and Leather Sneakers

adidas Samba OG

PRADA America's Cup

NIKE Cortez

MAISON MARGIELA Replica Sneakers

adidas Gazelle

NIKE Tiempo Legend 10 Academy

Since Samba SZN was declared almost a year ago now, the adidas sneaker is everywhere. We don't blame you if you're suffering from a case of fatigue. In which case, we encourage you to embark on a little DIY project – here's how to DIY your Samba sneakers.

Image by memetsaputra on Freepik