During Paris Fashion Week, adidas Originals transformed TTGT Studio into a two-day Creative Residency dedicated to the Stan Smith.

Held on June 26 and 27, the immersive format placed the sneaker in a contemporary fashion context and explored why its minimalist design continues to serve as an open canvas for creativity, self-expression, and cultural interpretation.

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At its core was the idea of the Stan Smith as a functional, instantly recognizable object: clean in form, understated in expression, and deeply connected to fashion, art, music, and skateboarding. Together with TTGT, adidas Originals invited a group of artists, musicians, and creatives to explore this idea across a series of formats.

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Mathilde Vallantin Dulac opened the Residency with a curated selection of functional green objects, inviting guests to view the Stan Smith through a more utilitarian lens.

Yung Lean transformed one of the rooms into a live spray-painting installation, while James Blake presented new and older works in an intimate session shaped around the relationship between the artist and the tools of music production.

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Mark Gonzales collaborated with the adidas Skate Team in a space between skateboarding and art, drawing a parallel between the skateboard and the Stan Smith as simple, iconic objects that have shaped their own cultural legacy.

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Cyprien Gaillard presented Untitled, a work in which smoke slowly emerged from a tunnel, alternately concealing and revealing the surrounding landscape. Thibaut Grevet used the space as a temporary portrait studio for the participating artists and offered a first preview of FAR.

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The musical performances also embraced restraint and presence. Ibeyi reduced the setting to voice, percussion, rhythm, and intuition, while London soul artist Debbie created a sound sanctuary with a 12-piece gospel choir, offering a moment of calm within the pace of Fashion Week. Guillermo Santomà complemented the program with a lounge installation centered on materiality, function, and exchange.

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An archive exhibition completed the Stan Smith Residency, featuring selected models from the adidas archive in Herzogenaurach.

Alongside historical references, adidas Originals also showcased unreleased Stan Smith iterations, connecting the silhouette’s past with its present and future.

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The Stan Smith Residency therefore feels like more than just a tribute to a classic. It also offers a glimpse of what may follow in the months ahead.

After a period dominated by running, terrace, and retro models, adidas Originals appears to be turning part of its attention back to its court silhouettes.

At the center of that renewed focus is the Stan Smith: a minimalist classic that continues to evolve across art, fashion, and pop culture.

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Photos via adidas