How TikTok killed the Samba

I'm in awe of the TikTok fashion girlies.

Their Ganni bow-tie tops, their accessory-laden Stanley cups, their skirt-over-jeans layered combos...

But I'm scared of them, too.

They're a bit like the Greek story of King Midas who wished that everything he touched would turn to gold, then watched as all the things he loved turned to a precious metal.

What the fashion girlies post shines bright in the trending limelight, then burns out—never to be trendy again, gathering dust in the corner of urban op-shops or worn by trend latecomers trying hard to stay relevant (like the UK Prime Minister).

This is all to say the TikTok fashion girlies wield immense posting power.

And here's the thing: they came for my favourite shoe.

Because I'm all about a cute little shoe. Something dainty, but tuff. Hard wearing, but sleek in its own way.

And it seems the fashion girlies have this in common.

The shoe I'm thinking of is in your head right now, isn't it?

I probably don't even have to say what it was, but I will.

TikTok blew up the Adidas Samba.

You know the shoe.

Described rightly by The Guardian as 'an archival pub shoe that works almost anywhere' and 'the thinking man’s Gazelle' by The Standard, the Adidas Samba has been a low-key classic since its release in 1949.

But things started to really, really pick up from 2021 onwards, when Adidas began collaborating with designers such as Wales Bonner (indisputably sick), IRAK, Kith, and Palace, each brand presenting a new take on the shoe.

Then the TikTok fashion girlies stepped in—excuse the pun—and the popularity of Samba content spiked.

Just take a look at these numbers:

• A simple Samba unboxing video – 4.8 million views.

• A Samba styling tutorial – 8 million views.

• A Samba walking review – 15.5 million views.

And as I mentioned, Sambas then shone brightly in the TikTok spotlight—arguably reaching their peak in 2023/early 2024. In October 2023, Vogue named them the 'It-Girl' shoe.

But now they're done.

Well, done-ish.

Because their sales have dipped, and they're absolutely everywhere.

The Standard named Sambas an epidemic, stating, 'You can’t go ten feet in London without seeing a pair of the tell-tale, trio-striped gum soles.'

Ouch.

And...the UK Prime Minister wore them during an interview appearance. Though he issued an apology to the 'Samba community,' Sneaker Freaker named this devastating event the 'nail in the coffin' for the sneaker.

So, what role did TikTok play in kind of ruining the Adidas Samba?

Well, I don't want all the blame to fall on the fashion girlies themselves. Because it isn't them so much as the way TikTok fast-tracks new trends—exposing us instantly to products through users posting try-on hauls, unboxing, and styling videos.

Plus, the hashtag #FashionTok has more than 5.9 billion views.

This creates a feeling of needing constant newness; we feel the need to buy the latest item and not be left behind.

As described by The Drum, 'As buyers constantly pursue the next best thing, they’re simultaneously leaving last week’s trends in the dust.'

The Samba still managed to stay trending for a decent amount of time (arguably rising in popularity in 2021, hitting their peak in 2023/early 2024, falling now-ish).

But what we see through their exposure on TikTok is an example of 'garment virality,' a term used by The Digital Fairy to describe the piece of clothing platform users decide themselves are in. This phenomenon fast-forwards the trend cycle, making things go out of fashion rapidly.

But, will the Samba ever rise again?

TBH, I think so.

The thing that makes Sambas standout as opposed to other TikTok trending items is their vintage, heritage-feel appeal.

They're not a stupidly large sippy cup with clip-on accessories (I'm sorry). They're genuinely cool sneakers with an interesting history—worn by skaters in the 90s and footy hooligans in the 70s and 80s—so I think they could make a comeback.

I hope so, at least!

Then, once they're back, I can waltz into the Adidas store, pick out my dream Samba, and walk happily into the sunset.

-Maggie, Copywriter