Adidas Originals Forest Hills Tennis Sneakers ($122)
Before the US Open was moved to the National Tennis Center (now the Billie Jean King Tennis Center) in Flushing Meadows, Queens, back in 1978, it was played at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills—also Queens.
The Forest Hills location served as the home of the international tournament from 1915-1977, and its 14,000-seat horseshoe-shaped stadium—built with classic columns and graceful arches—also served as the home of countless high-profile concerts from legends like the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, and more. As such, the stadium was a pretty big deal. And so was tennis at the time, with dominant players and even more dominant personalities like Rod Laver, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and of course, Billie Jean King.
To pay tribute to the sport and the stadium’s popularity, Adidas thought it fitting to create a pair of tennis kicks inspired by the stadium’s location and the overall popularity of tennis during the 70s. The “Adidas Forest Hills,” as they were called, featured premium tumbled leather with a white base, yellow midsole, glowing gold three stripes branding at the paneling and heel, and a brushed grey toe bumper at the front. What’s more, it was also made with a space-proven NASA insole and a 246-gram cupsole, which at the time was considered to be the forefront of footwear technology.
Of course like many polarizing styles from the 70s, the Adidas Forest Hills faded into oblivion, never to be seen or heard from again until their unlikely reemergence in the British cult film Awaydays in 2009. The result? A rather cult-like following for the sneakers themselves, with vintage sneaker heads clamoring to cop a pair. Fast forward almost 10 years later, and now Adidas is bringing back the classic tennis shoes for all to wear—just in time for spring.
The new Adidas Originals Forest Hills “Metallic Gold” will feature the classic white, yellow, and gold design that made them so iconic to begin with, albeit with various updated materials to serve them (and you) better. Right now we’re not sure if Adidas themselves will be carrying them, but select Adidas retailers will—including Terrace Tint at the link above. Happy hunting.
