One question keeps circling sneaker chats right now : will adidas mark 2026 with a true successor to the Gazelle, not just another colorway or platform tweak. The timing is hard to ignore. The Gazelle first landed in 1966, which means the model turns 60 in 2026, a milestone brands rarely let pass quietly.
Here is the state of play. As of late 2024, adidas had not issued an official announcement naming a new model as the next chapter to the Gazelle line. Still, the pattern is visible to anyone watching terrace culture. The brand has spent the last few years rebuilding its lifestyle core through icons like Samba, Gazelle, Handball Spezial and Campus, then stretching them with variants such as the Gazelle Bold in 2022. An anniversary cycle often unlocks bolder moves, and that is why the 2026 window matters.
Adidas Gazelle at 60 : why a successor now makes sense
The main idea lands quickly. A successor would allow adidas to celebrate heritage while solving a modern comfort gap. Many fans love the suede, the slim profile, the clean three stripes, yet ask for a softer step, more durable outsoles, and more inclusive sizing. Retail pricing also nudges the case. The standard Gazelle typically sits around 100 to 120 dollars, leaving room above for a premium, tech-forward sibling without pushing out the original.
There is also precedent. The Gazelle’s timeline is punctuated by strategic resets and reissues. The shoe debuted in 1966 for training, shifted into lifestyle through the 1970s, spun off the Gazelle Indoor around 1979, then returned in a widely seen reissue in 2016. Each pivot re-centered the model for a new generation while keeping the core look intact. The next logical step is not another reissue, but a future-facing companion with clear DNA links.
One more observation fuels demand. Terrace sneakers regained mainstream momentum between 2022 and 2024, helped by high fashion collaborations and social media styling. The Gucci x adidas Gazelle capsule in 2022 signaled that the silhouette can carry luxury materials and bolder palettes, without losing its identity. That appetite, mixed with an anniversary spotlight, creates ideal conditions for a successor project.
Clues, timelines and how adidas usually builds a new chapter
Footwear development often runs more than a year from initial brief to retail shelf. That means a 2026 debut requires concepts and testing to be underway well before the calendar flips. Tools are in place. The brand’s archive covers last shapes, toe overlays and materials that define the Gazelle look, while its current innovation bench can add comfort stacks and sustainability features that consumers now expect.
Expect a staggered reveal. Adidas typically seeds early pairs to partners and athletes, then ramps into an Originals campaign with lifestyle storytelling. The 2016 reissue followed that cadence, surfacing in selected doors before wider release. For a 60th year, the rollout could start with a limited drop that nods to 1966 and 1979 history, followed by a broader inline color run. Dates matter in anniversary marketing, and a summer or fall 2026 window fits how lifestyle lines usually peak for back to school and holiday.
There are also strong signals in the variants adidas already tested. The Gazelle Bold added stacked midsoles for a new audience in 2022. The Gazelle Indoor revived gum tooling with transparent sidewalls, quickly becoming a style staple. These moves probe consumer comfort with silhouette changes and price bands, laying groundwork for a successor that feels natural rather than abrupt.
What a 2026 successor to adidas Gazelle could realistically look like
Reading the breadcrumbs points to a clear formula. Keep the low profile, the suede story, the T toe panel and the clean side stripes. Upgrade interiors and tooling for all day wear. That may mean a softer sockliner, a slightly thicker midsole hidden inside the sidewall, and a grippier rubber compound underfoot. Expect refined lasts for better fit, and more sizes for women and wide feet. Colorwise, classics like black, navy and the 1990s style red arrive first, then seasonal pastels and archive-inspired treatments.
Sustainability will likely be woven in quietly rather than shouted. Adidas has already experimented with recycled components across Originals lines, so a successor that swaps in low impact leather alternatives or recycled lining fabrics without changing the on foot feel would match consumer expectations. The key is to protect the texture and breathability that make Gazelle suede pairs easy to wear year round.
Where does this leave the original. Sitting right next to the newcomer. A successor does not replace an icon, it gives fans two ways to wear the same spirit, one pure archive, one daily comfort hero. That pairing has worked before across the brand’s catalog, and it preserves accessibility on price while opening a lane for premium editions. For those watching closely, the practical move is simple : follow the adidas Confirmed app, check retailer calendars from specialty stores that routinely receive Originals limited runs, and pay attention to sample leaks in the months leading into 2026. When a true successor appears, it will defintely look like a Gazelle at first glance, then feel like something new the moment the foot hits the ground.