Sunak declares ‘Sun’s out. Sambas on.’ (however aren’t these Samoas?)
Rishi Sunak‘s attempt to bring the Adidas Sambas back out for the election trail after he was previously ridiculed for destroying their credibility has backfired.
The Prime Minister today joined Tim Barnes, the Conservative candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster, and other Tory volunteers who were speaking to voters in Pimlico.
After an afternoon of door-knocking ahead of the July 4 general election, Mr Sunak shared a selection of four photos to his X account with an upbeat caption, declaring: ‘Sun’s out. Sambas on. Secure future.’
But just two months after apologising to Adidas Samba fans for ‘ruining’ the stylish trainer, the PM suffered another faux pas as it can be revealed that he was actually wearing a pair of Adidas Samoas on the election trail.
The Adidas Samoa, which currently retails for £75 on the German sporting giant’s website, dates back to 1977 – several years after the launch of the popular Samba which is described as ‘legendary shoe with a rich history’.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (second from right in grey Adidas trainers) tweeted: ‘Sun’s out. Sambas on. Secure future.’ But it can now be revealed he was actually wearing Adidas Samoas, not Sambas
These are the Adidas Samoa trainers that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was wearing on the election trail
Mr Sunak was on the end of a kicking online when he wore the fresh white Sambas during an interview in Downing Street in April
He later offered a ‘fulsome apology’ after being ridiculed for killing off the iconic Adidas Samba trainers
Mr Sunak was on the end of a kicking online when he wore a fresh pair of white Sambas during an interview in Downing Street in April.
British GQ magazine said that ‘in a bid to present himself as young and hip, Rishi Sunak took an eternally cool sneaker and ruined it for everyone’.
Meanwhile footwear historian Elizabeth Semmelhack told The Times it could prove to be ‘the death knell’ for the retro trainer which has previously been described as ‘the defining sneaker of our age’.
The Prime Minister, who has come under fire for his fashion choices in the past, offered a ‘fulsome apology’ to Samba fans at the time and said he had been wearing the classic trainers ‘for many years’.
Mr Sunak jokingly told LBC Radio on April 10: ‘I issue a fulsome apology to the Samba community. But, in my defence, I would say I have been wearing Adidas trainers including Sambas – and others, in fact – for many, many years.
‘The first pair my brother got for me many, many years ago – my first pair of fun Adidas trainers as a Christmas present. I haven’t looked back since. So I’ve been a longtime devotee.’
He added: ‘That pair (in the video) I did buy, but I’ve had Adidas trainers for a very long time.’
The latest faux pas adds to a long list of fashion fails the Prime Minister has faced at Downing Street.
The Conservative leader has famously worn suits that are too small for him, prompting fashionista Derek Guy – who is based in California – to say that he is hostage to Noughties trends.
Derek, who writes the Die, Workwear! fashion blog – said the Prime Minister was ‘just a little behind the times’ but scotched conspiracy theories that the 5ft-6in politician opts for short trousers to make himself look taller.
Last June, Rishi Sunak was mocked for his choice of footwear when he wore these £150 Timberland boots in Dover
One hilarious Twitter post photoshopped Rishi Sunak into one giant boot as he gives a speech on Channel migrant crossings
Although Rishi Sunak was dressed in a smart suit and tie at a Tory leadership speech in August 2022, his shoes had a hole in the sole
A few months prior, Rishi Sunak was pictured sporting a £335 pair of trainers loved by A-listers including Jay-Z, Drake and Reese Witherspoon
In July 2022, Rishi Sunak wore a £500 pair of Prada shoes to a building site in Teeside. He is pictured alongside Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen
And in 2021, the then chancellor was mocked for wearing sliders from trendy streetwear brand Palm Angels
The PM is also partial to the 90s trend of wearing American university merchandise as lounge wear, with a Stanford grey jersey being one of his particular favourites.
However, he’s even more fond of his dark grey £46 Everlane hoodie, which he’s been snapped in multiple times.
His choice of casual wear has not always gone down well, however.
In October 2023, the Prime Minister opted for a navy blue hoodie while conducting official business with the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas and President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Downing street.
He paired the top with a white shirt and blue tie, which he paired with navy blue suit trousers and black shoes, but he was mocked online for looking like a ‘couch potato’ by critics unhappy with his dress sense.
The Samba row was also not the first time the Prime Minister has been mocked for his choice of footwear.
He made another faux pas last June when he stepped into a pair of Timberland boots that had been widely mocked.
Mr Sunak wore the £150 lace-up boots to join Border Force crews in Dover before giving a speech on his plan to stop small migrant boats.
But it was the boots, not the boats, that stole the limelight – with many online teasing him by playing on his own slogan: ‘Stop the boots.’
The year before, he was criticised for wearing a £490 pair of suede Prada shoes to a building site.
Mr Sunak reveals his short trousers while speaking on Zoom to Gordon Ramsay during the pandemic
Mr Sunak seen in 2021 wearing his Stanford University sweater and a pair of sweatpants from premium athletic wear brand Champion
Rishi Sunak opted for winter-wear as he donned a navy blue hoodie and sipped from a £25 Emma Bridgewater mug while speaking to Turkish and Palestinian leaders in October
Meanwhile, in August 2020 the PM – who has previously been accused of being out of touch – was pictured wearing shoes with holes in as he made a pitch to his party.
In stark contrast, he came under fire five months prior when he was spotted wearing a pair of white leather trainers that were worth £335 amid the cost-of-living crisis.
The brand of the expensive shoe was Common Projects – a New York label which is also a favourite with the likes of Jay-Z, Drake and Reese Witherspoon.
Even back when he was chancellor in 2021, Mr Sunak was mocked for wearing £95 ‘teenage’ flip-flop footwear by streetwear brand Palm Angels in a pre-Budget picture with some pointedly suggesting the then 41-year-old ‘act his age’.
