British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has recently been pictured in an official photo wearing a pair of trendy Adidas Samba trainers. This isn’t the first time Sunak has opted for casual attire; he’s been photographed in hoodies before. He might be the first Prime Minister happy to be seen in such relaxed clothing – Liz Truss, for instance, wouldn’t likely be caught wearing Yeezy trainers away from the cameras. Probably because she seems more of a Skechers type!

It’s fair to say many people have criticisms of his time in office. These photographs seem like calculated attempts to portray him as a man of the people, despite his status as one of Britain’s wealthiest individuals.

It didn’t seem such a bad play to run initially. At least one person was impressed….

Just bought a pair of Adidas Samba after seeing how nice they looked when Rishi Sunak was wearing them.

— Andrew Stewart (@andrewastewart) April 6, 2024

However most people disagreed and as one Italian commentator declared, Rishi Sunak actually had the King Midas effect in reverse. The social media platform X was full of disapproving posts.

In a bid to present himself as young and hip, Rishi Sunak took an eternally cool sneaker and ruined it for everyone. https://t.co/0RKlkg4ClO

— British GQ (@BritishGQ) April 8, 2024

not rishi hopping on the samba trend https://t.co/w4CDp6CMGV

— becca??? (@noitsbeccy) April 5, 2024

Rishi Sunak il re Mida alla rovescia: ridicolizzato (anche) per le sue Adidas Samba https://t.co/2B9wjk3uGh

— Corriere della Sera (@Corriere) April 8, 2024

@RishiSunak how to kill the iconic Adidas Samba ? https://t.co/iepPvPyXne

— Herby (@HerbyDM57) April 6, 2024

Rishi single handily putting back adidas’ financial year by destroying the desirability of the samba.

— Adam Scott (@adamscott23) April 5, 2024

The reality is, Sunak’s government role likely restricts him from truly mingling with the everyday person. Additionally, some people can unintentionally damage the reputation of a brand or trend. Adidas has enjoyed recent success with shoes like Stan Smiths, Sambas, Gazelles, and the Yeezy line. Celebrities constantly wear these shoes, both for social media posts and in paparazzi shots.

However, Sunak’s current lack of popularity might rub off on the particular Samba colourway he wore. If you own that same pair, you might want to consider giving them a rest for a while, before they become known as the “Adidas Rishis”. Let see if Sambas will start a new trend; living in cupboards underneath the staircase.

How Rishi killed the Adidas Samba pic.twitter.com/dNyFoamtcj

— bÖsch (@fabmass) April 8, 2024