Since its introduction in 1963, the Stan Smith has been one of the most popular sneakers on the market. The shoe is named after American tennis player Stan Smith, who wore them on court during his career.
There are many fake versions of these popular sneakers in the market that look like the real thing but aren’t. Here are some tips for spotting counterfeit Adidas Stan Smith sneakers so you don’t get ripped off:
The shape
The shoe is made entirely of white leather or vegan materials, with white flat laces and perforated holes. The tongue and heel foam padding are the only places where you’ll see a pop of color, which can be green, navy, or black. The iconic Superstar shoe has a sleek, slender look with the sides of the soles moving inward. There are stripes on the rubber-shell toe, and this simplicity makes it charming.
Composition
Stan Smiths uses Primegreen, a patented performance fabric. The white outsoles of these Stan Smiths are made from recycled rubber, while the uppers are made of 50% synthetic leather.
Midsole
The Stan Smith sneaker has the Adidas logo with the copyright ‘®’ embedded in the midsole. Check that the Adidas font is slightly rounded at the shoe’s midsole and the registered R is also distinct and clean.
Number of eyelets
The next thing to look for is the number of eyelets on the shoe. The male version of this shoe has seven eyelets, while the female version has six. This detail must be noticed when authenticating, especially for the fake, because they mostly have 6 or 8 eyelets for men or 7 for all types. Each eyelet has a metallic backing, squeezing the last eyelet through the collar’s thick corner.
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Laces
Fake shoes use flat laces, which were present in the older versions of the shoes; however, the latest version of the Stan Smith has thinner laces. Also, fake shoes re-lace over the eyelets rather than under, which makes them look more authentic at first glance but could be a clue that something isn’t quite right.
Heel tag, shape and logo
- Authentic Adidas shoes don’t have a heel tag, so if yours does, it’s fake! The reason is that Adidas last launched footwear with a heel tag years ago.
- The correct shape of the heel flap and base should be a tad wide and flat with curved edges. If it’s too narrow or rounded around the base or flap, it’s fake, except for old models and Superstars.
- The heel logo is another critical thing to check. The logo should be engraved to fill the space without deformation. And the spacing between the logo’s stripes should be even and not too thick or thin. On some fakes, the logo may be deformed or unevenly spaced out.
Tongue Label
The image on the tongue label should match the color of the heel foam padding. Additionally, the tongue label for the current Stan Smith models features “Adidas Stan Smith” atop a line drawing of the tennis player and his signature. Make sure there are no spelling mistakes or alphabet distortions in words “Endorsed by:”
Serial Number
Another way to determine the authenticity of your Adidas Stan Smiths is to compare the serial number on your shoes with the serial number found in the box. The number is under the shoe tongue where “Made in Indonesia.” is written. If these numbers don’t match, or if no model number is listed, your shoes are counterfeit.
Price
Real Adidas Stan Smiths cost around $70 depending on where you buy them, but if you see someone selling them for $60 or less, especially in rare or unusual colorways like pink, gold, metallic, and textured, they are most likely fakes. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!
Conclusion
So there you have it! You now know how to spot fake Adidas Stan Smiths. Never get discouraged—plenty of legitimate sellers selling authentic shoes. Just do your research and ensure that what you’re buying is exactly what it claims to be before making any purchases! Happy hunting!
