Adidas Re-releases Billie Jean King's Famous Blue Suede Shoes

Adidas has reintroduced a lifestyle iteration of the famous blue suede shoes worn by tennis icon Billie Jean King during her landmark "Battle of the Sexes" match against Bobby Riggs in 1973. An estimated 90 million viewers worldwide tuned in to watch the historic match.

King reportedly had to advocate for wearing the colorful shoes, which deviated from the traditional all-white tennis attire of the era. Adidas has now reimagined the silhouette as a lifestyle shoe, named the "Billie Jean King Shoe," priced at $110. Available in blue and off-white, the shoes feature an image of King and her signature on the tongue, with the match's set scores on the heel.

The company stated the goal was to preserve the look and spirit of King's original shoe while adapting it for contemporary footwear. King herself has said the shoes represent more than just a single match, expressing hope that their return inspires future generations to push for equality and use their voices for positive change.

Originally released in the 1970s, the blue suede shoe was Adidas's first colored velour tennis shoe. The brand has previously used this colorway to promote King's initiatives supporting young women in sports. In 2018, Adidas released a limited-edition AM4BJK shoe and held an event at the US Open where participants' shoes were spray-painted blue.

By bringing back the shoe and its distinctive colorway in a new format for a wider audience, Adidas is paying homage to the iconic footwear and the message it conveys to a new generation.