Rishi Sunak issues a 'fulsome apology' to fans of Adidas Samba trainers after 'ruining' their credibility with latest footwear fashion faux pas - as PM insists he's a 'longtime devotee' and has worn classic shoe 'for many years'

Rishi Sunak has issued a ‘fulsome apology’ to Adidas Samba fans after after being ridiculed for ‘ruining’ their credibility with his latest footwear fashion faux pas.

The Prime Minister, who has come under fire for his fashion choices in the past, said he had been wearing the German sportswear giant’s classic trainers ‘for many years’ – despite not appearing to have been pictured in them before last week.

Mr Sunak – who claimed he is a ‘longtime devotee’ of the brand – was on the end of a kicking online when he wore the fresh white trainers during an interview in Downing Street.

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’.

Mr Sunak jokingly told LBC Radio this morning: ‘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.

Rishi Sunak has offered a ‘fulsome apology’ after being ridiculed for killing off the iconic Adidas Samba trainers

Mr Sunak – who claimed he is a ‘longtime devotee’ of the brand – was on the end of a kicking online when he wore the fresh white trainers during an interview in Downing Street

‘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.’

The Adidas Samba: A legendary shoe with a rich history 

The roots of the Adidas Originals Samba shoe can be traced back to a German football match in 1950. The shoe’s stellar performance on icy pitches earned the nickname ‘Samba’.

The original shoe featured an outsole with three cut-out suction cups to help players with stability.

Over the years, Adidas continued to improve and refine the Samba for football alongside creating streetwear editions as the brand reached new heights on and off the pitch.

Adidas says on its website: ‘Whether you’re a football fanatic, a style enthusiast, or simply appreciate the fusion of sports and fashion, the adidas Originals Samba shoe continues to leave an indelible mark on the world of footwear and across communities world wide.’

He added: ‘That pair (in the video) I did buy, but I’ve had Adidas trainers for a very long time.’

The triple-striped rubber-soled Samba was introduced in 1949 and has been a staple shoe ever since. Rihanna, Kate Moss and Kendall Jennner are among a host of celebrities who have been pictured donning a pair.

Last year, Adidas’s chief executive Bjorn Gulden described the Samba as ‘the hottest shoe on the market’, adding that the company intended to sell ‘millions and millions’.

But Mr Sunak, who has also faced questions about the short length of his trousers, said he is ‘intrigued and amused by the amount of focus on what I’m wearing’.

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.

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.

Last June, Rishi Sunak was mocked for his choice of footwear when he wore these Timberland boots

Rishi Sunak sported a £150 pair of rugged Timberlands as he joined border force crews 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

This 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.’

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 donned his favourite dark grey £46 Everlane hoodie to unveiling a £500 million funding package to help furloughed workers in 2021

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

The year before, he was criticised for wearing a £490 pair of suede Prada shoes to a building site.

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’.

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