The Adidas Handball Spezial Germany is a limited edition take on one of Adidas' most enduring retro trainers, and this colourway makes the most of its heritage handball roots. A white leather toe box, quarter panels and heel counter overlay sit alongside a light grey textile panel printed with a repeating diamond/triangle pattern, while three black leather stripes cut diagonally across each side in the classic three-stripe layout, finished with visible perforated edge stitching. A contrasting burgundy/red leather heel panel and a small striped fabric pull tab add a further point of difference, with gold-tone SPEZIAL script and trefoil branding on the lateral panel marking this out as part of the Spezial family.
Open the shoe up and there's plenty going on inside too. The collar and tongue are lined in a bright orange/yellow suede-effect material, with a red and orange chequered textile lining running through the body of the shoe and across the insole. A cream leather ankle roll pads out the topline for a bit of extra comfort around the collar. Underneath, a flat, low-profile gum rubber cupsole carries a textured tread of circles, wavy lines and a moulded trefoil, with the adidas wordmark moulded onto the midsole in white. Fastening is via white flat laces through five eyelet pairs, using fabric loop eyelets rather than metal grommets for a cleaner, retro finish.
With its round toe, low-top build and flat sole, this is a trainer built for everyday wear rather than performance, and its retro handball-shoe styling makes it a strong pick for anyone building out a collection of terrace-inspired Adidas classics. The mix of white, red, gold and chequered detailing gives it plenty of character, whether it's paired with jeans, chinos or shorts for a casual, off-duty look. As a limited edition style, it's one to consider before it sells out.