Kith and Adidas Take on Three Decades of Tennis Sneakers in Latest Collaboration

Kith is partnering with Adidas on three tennis sneakers pulled from three consecutive decades. A minimalist, white and blue color scheme is applied to the Rod Laver, IL Comp, and Torsion Edberg — encompassing on-court offerings from the ’70s through ’90s.

Blue accents are applied sparingly to all three sneakers. Each makes use of white and grey for the majority of their uppers, while cream midsoles throughout brings a further sense of vintage. Kith branding is also consistent on the heel for each offering, as is metallic gold branding on the insoles.

The oldest of the trio, the Rod Laver, was introduced in 1970 a year after the tennis player of the same name won the Grand Slam. It pairs a knit mesh upper with pigskin nubuck overlays.

Launched in 1985, the IL Comp is the most obscure of the lineup and was worn by pro Ivan Lendl. It, too, has a mesh base, and the overlays utilize full-grain leather.

The final in the series is the Torsion Edberg, Stefan Edberg’s signature sneaker that arrived in 1990. Both full-grain leather and nubuck appear across the upper, and the midsole features the namesake Torsion system. The tech is still used to this day and helps provide flexibility underfoot.

All three sneakers will release at 11 a.m. EST Aug. 21 through KITH’s website, app, and retail locations. Pricing for the collection has yet to be announced.