In an homage to the upcoming 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, Adidas just dropped a 007-themed edition of its best-selling Ultraboost 20s.
The trainers feature the usual Ultraboost construction — energy-boosting foam, sock-like upper, retooled heel frame — but with aesthetic touches specific to the latest Bond villian, Lyutsifer Safin. If that name sounds a bit on the nose, that’s because it is — “Lyutsifer” is literally the Russian translation for “Lucifer.” You can expect the character, played by Oscar-winner Rami Malek, to be a particularly devious match for Bond.
That said, it’s a bit surprising that Adidas decided to base a shoe on Safin, considering A) he’s a new character, B) a bad guy, and C) the press has already criticized the franchise’s inability to move on from “facially disfigured” villians, a tired trope that suggests people with disabilities are more likely to turn evil.
Regardless, the Safin colorway is just sort of boring. The gray upper is meant to mimic his concrete bunker, while the white plate is similar to the mask he wears over his face. Up close, there are some fascinating details (including a blueprtint of Safin’s zen garden, printed on the sockliner), but by and large, this one doesn’t hit the same as Adidas’ actually Bond-themed, “tuxedo” editions.
You can find those here, and here, in all-black and all-white colorways, respectively. We’re big fans of the “007” decal on the back heels. Oh and, mark your calendars — No Time to Die is in theaters October 8th.
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