(Written by William)

You may have seen the announcement a couple of days ago, that LEGO is releasing a brick-built version of the Adidas Originals Superstar sneaker, with the set number #10282 LEGO Adidas Originals Superstar.

At the beginning of 2021, I actually heard rumors about a set like this. However, as the months went by and real Adidas shoes came out, the rumors sort of drifted to the back of my mind. Then, LEGO offered to send an early review copy of the set to theBrickBlogger, and I was happy to oblige. I figured it would be an interesting enough set to check out and then I would gift it to a friend or family member who was into shoes. I thought there really wasn’t a reason to keep a model of a shoe in my own collection. I was wrong…

There’s just something fascinating about building an actual scale model of an everyday object out of LEGO bricks. Plus, if you are into collecting shoes, you have an interesting piece to display and show off as a conversation starter. Given all the odd curves and angles found in a shoe, this immediately became an interesting model to put together. The sides and back of the shoe also has interesting connection points you don’t normally see. And then, there’s the packaging!

I feel I’m getting a bit distracted, given how much of this model I love. So, let’s break down this set and try to cover all the highlights. And we’ll start with the box it all comes in…

LEGO ADIDAS ORIGINALS SUPERSTAR – THE PACKAGING

A LEGO set with the main objective of building a shoe meant that it just had to be packaged in a shoebox. Or, at the very least, something that very closely resembled a shoebox. And LEGO packaging designers did an incredible job!

It all starts with the standard flip-up lid. This, when opened, reveals the image of the set. One end of the box even has a cutout as most shoe boxes have. However, this cutout is in the shape of a minifigure head. Sitting on a shelf, you’d be hard pressed not to think this was a real shoebox.

Continuing the realism, when you open up the box and then the lid with the image of the shoe, you get… tissue paper! Let’s just say, when I saw this, I immediately closed everything up and recorded an un-boxing video for the set, which you can watch below. (I was in such a hurry, I didn’t even notice that under the image of the shoe there is another picture featuring a mosaic of the Adidas logo, but it uses the underside of the plates.)

And if all that wasn’t enough, the finished model easily fits back into the shoebox. I typically recycle all my LEGO boxes, since it would take up too much space if I kept them all. However, there is no way I can part with the box of this model, since it helps suck me into the concept that this is a real shoe. Okay, enough raving. Here is the un-boxing video.

LEGO ADIDAS ORIGINALS SUPERSTAR – THE SET

First off, there is only one sticker in the set. It goes on the display plaque. All other decorated elements are printing. This is often a major plus in the eyes of LEGO fans. The shoe also features an actual shoelace, so I guess that makes it an official LEGO element?

The shoe is modeled on a men’s 7½ shoe by U.S. standards. I compared it to my own 9½ shoe and that checks out. It is also modeled after the 1970’s shoe with its characteristic three black stripes on the sides of the shoe. They made sure to have the appropriate branding in all the right places, including when you look down into the shoe. Perhaps the only detail that wasn’t recreated was a tread for the bottom of the shoe, but I couldn’t care less about that given how amazing the build was.

The model is laid out into four major phases among six numbered bags. The set does have a seventh bag, but we’ll get to that later. The four major phases include the sole of the shoe, which gives us the overall footprint as well as the specialized connection points for later. The next phase is the back heel section of the shoe, which connects in with two locking finger connections and includes the left, right, and back section of the shoe (where the opening is to put your foot inside).

The third phase includes the sides of the shoe. This involves some very precise sculpting that utilizes slopes and plates in extremely creative ways. Each side have two ball-joint connections to attach into the sole of the shoe. The final phase is the toe box and tongue. The toe box is simply two large quarter rounds in a size I’m not familiar with. The tongue is built similar to the sides with some heavy reinforcing using plates and slopes. It was nice to see the sides of the shoe forming a channel for the tongue to rest in. And since phase four is the lightest in terms of building, this is also where you add the laces and display-stand.

Now, let’s address bag seven. The printed instructions have you build a right shoe. But what if you wanted to build a left one? Or maybe you want a pair of shoes? Bag seven has the necessary parts to make a left shoe. The instructions tells you where to go to download the booklet for that version of the shoe since some of the steps may make your eyes cross if you just try to reverse-build the model. This does mean you will need to purchase two copies of the set if you want a pair of shoes and you will end up with some extra parts. The real question is: is this worth buying? Let me explain my feelings in the next section.

LEGO ADIDAS ORIGINALS SUPERSTAR – MY IMPRESSIONS

It was by chance that I had an opportunity to build this set. I figured, sight unseen, this would go over great with shoe enthusiasts, but probably would be too pricey for everyone else. It definitely is not a toy, as suggested by the 18+ age recommendation, and wouldn’t be the best choice for kids. Even as an adult LEGO fan, I only agreed to review the model to see some interesting building techniques, then pass it on to someone else who might enjoy it more.

My opinion started softening when I saw the packaging for the set. As a LEGO fan, I was tickled to no end seeing such interesting packaging. This was especially visceral to my senses since it was packaging that was still very familiar. It was a shoebox, I know what a shoebox is, it gave me something to relate to. Then I built the model. I was not only struck by the relatability of something familiar like a shoe, but I was also blown away by the ingenious geometry of how the model came together. The angles and curves are so perfectly chosen and they form something so complex that it was awe-inspiring. This is a level of LEGO mastery that honestly intimidates me by its brilliance. Despite this, I never felt stumped or confused by the instructions.

The instructions are done in a very clever way. Since so many plates are used, the layers are often color-coded. These layers are eventually covered up, but by having blues, greens, and reds included, they made placing pieces a breeze. There are even small conveniences built into the model. For example, the ball-joints that connect the sides of the shoe into the base have 1×1 round plates on them. Those plates aren’t necessary for anything structural, but I found it a lot easier pressing on the connections with them there. So, the model became accessible and less stressful to build. And then, there’s the end product.

It’s hard to quantify why it feels so satisfying to hold a full-sized LEGO model of something from real life. I think your brain sees one thing and knows it’s something else and that juxtaposition is pure joy. I felt proud completing this model in a way I don’t normally feel from other sets. It was such a unique building experience that I would never normally attempt. I’m still not a shoe guy, but I know I want to show this model off to as many people as possible. It’s by far the weirdest and most magical way to show you are a LEGO fan and you’re an adult! In the video below, I will show you the set in more detail.

The #10282 LEGO Adidas Originals Superstar model will be available starting on July 1st, at official Adidas stores, Adidas.com, official LEGO stores, and the Adidas section of the Online LEGO Shop. Prices are as follows: 79.99 USD / 89.99 EUR/159.99 AUD/79.99 GBP/ 109.99 CAD. For more information, visit the Adidas section of the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? What do you think of the LEGO Adidas set? Are you planning to get it? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below!

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