Herbie Hancock’s ‘Watermelon Man’ sets the rhythm for adidas Superstar SS26’s surreal hotel adventure
adidas have tapped into the cultural sweet spot once again — bridging generations, disciplines and timelines to reassert the Superstar as, quite literally, The Original Icon.
For Spring/Summer 2026, the brand enlists Samuel L. Jackson to front a cinematic campaign that is fittingly equal parts fashion, film and fever dream.
Jackson plays narrator and guide, wandering through a surreal ‘Hotel Superstar’ in search of his icons – a metaphor-heavy setting where time doesn’t exist and influence never expires.
Waiting behind each door is a carefully curated snapshot of right now: BLACKPINK’s JENNIE bringing global pop dominance, Kendall Jenner repping fashion’s quiet-luxury era, football prodigy Lamine Yamal signalling the sport’s next generation, and Baby Keem embodying left-of-centre rap innovation.
Add NBA mainstay James Harden, skate powerhouse Tyshawn Jones and UK soul-pop riser Olivia Dean, and you’ve got a cross-cultural lineup that spans music, sport, skate and style without feeling forced.
Originally created for basketball in the ’70s before being adopted by hip-hop and streetwear pioneers, the Superstar has always moved with culture rather than chasing it.
This new chapter leans into that legacy. Instead of reinventing the wheel, adidas reframes the silhouette as something constant in an era obsessed with the next big thing.
The SS26 collection keeps things clean and confident. Subtle shifts in tone and texture refresh the apparel offering, pairing nostalgic athletic cuts with contemporary tailoring.
The signature black-and-white palette returns, energised with sharp red accents, while looser-fit tracksuits and colour-blocked pieces spotlight the iconic 3-Stripes.
Not that we needed the proof – the Superstar never really goes anywhere — it just keeps finding the next wave of superstars ready to wear it.
