By Sandy Dover
As featured by SLAM
Released for the very first time since 1993, the Mutombo is one of the most coveted shoes in the retro catalog of adidas’ footwear vault. For its time, the Mutombo shoe wasn’t just about capitalizing on Dikembe’s dual ethnic and national heritage, it was actually a strong performer and notable style accessory. Produced before adidas’ famous innovations like the Feet You Wear, adiPRENE and SPRINTFRAME technologies, the Mutombo was, and still is, built tough, relying on good ol’ fashioned synthetic leather and suede, thermoplastic straps (a predecessor to the Equipment and adipower Howard 2 silhouettes) and rubber, all stitched down strong into a semi-cupsole that is playable indoors and outdoors.
As far as appearance, the adidas Mutombo has become a kind of new age relic of the past, an artifact that is a literal sign of the times. As the 1990s came and moved, Afrocentrism became stylistically popular as its own theme through brands like Cross Colours, music artists like A Tribe Called Quest, and accessory trends such as Africa continent-shaped medallions, all of which were all the rage; iconic movies like Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” and “X” became culturally definitive aspects of ‘90s pop and African-American culture, which only reinforced the rightful place of the adidas sneaker.
SNDVR 