The new collaboration between adidas and CLOT brings Edison Chen face to face with one of the most iconic names in footwear: Stan Smith.
Edison Chen, between worlds
There are figures who dissolve boundaries. Edison Chen is one of them, with an impressive ability to blend Chinese roots with an American upbringing. Actor, musician, designer, and founder of CLOT, his perspective crosses continents and disciplines. Since 2003, his brand has built a language of its own, where Eastern tradition merges with global urban energy. He doesn’t just design clothes — he proposes new ways of living the present.
The Stan Smith, Reimagined
For his new collaboration with adidas Originals, Chen takes on a classic — the Stan Smith — and reimagines it without breaking it. No noise. No exaggeration. There is respect, but also courage.
The result is a Stan Smith with the soul of an espadrille. The sole becomes an artisanal, summery, almost Mediterranean gesture. The upper is deconstructed with subtle embroidery, unexpected textures, and details that demand attention. Available in pure white or intense black, each pair seems to carry a story whispered with quiet confidence.
The collection is built on thoughtful gestures. The adidas Stan Smith Espadrille appears in two versions that speak volumes with restraint. The white one, clean and serene, pairs a deconstructed upper with a traditional espadrille sole and meticulous embroidery that adds texture without excess. The black one, bolder, uses a synthetic jute-like construction that cleverly solves the challenges of dyeing natural fibers while preserving the espadrille aesthetic. A chenille heel detail — more surprising than decorative — adds tactile contrast and visual depth.
The rest of the collection maintains the standard: striped polos, cotton crochet vests, fringed shorts, and camp-style shirts with delicate embroidery. The palette is warm and understated: forest green, cream, chocolate brown, and touches of burgundy and gold. Ivy League references that don’t aim to imitate, but to reinterpret. A gaze that looks at the past without staying in it.
Chen rewrites the codes. The full collection — which includes striped polos, crochet vests, and embroidered shirts — plays with Ivy League aesthetics, but without solemnity. It’s a private club where the rules are changed and style is free, with no imposed uniforms. A campaign in which Stan Smith himself shares the spotlight with the shoe that bears his name.
Tradition and rebellion in balance
“Integrating an espadrille sole into a Stan Smith was a real creative challenge,” says Edison Chen. And that’s precisely what makes this collection valuable: it’s not about making noise, but about exploring new paths within the familiar — about navigating the line between heritage and provocation.
In times of empty collaborations, this capsule seeks to transform the classics. And in Edison Chen’s hands, transformation is always elegant.
