Its Official, The adidas Handball Spezial Is The Sneaker Of The Year

While 2023 may have been the year of the Samba, it’s a different adidas terrace silhouette which has seemed to catch our eyes in 2024. As we roll into December and the year comes to an end, we can reveal that the adidas Handball Spezial has been The Sole Supplier’s best selling sneaker this year, specifically the “Earth Strata Off White” colourway which topped our lists of best sellers, beating out the Jordan 4 “White Thunder” and the Travis Scott x AJ1 Low “Medium Olive”. Coming in second place, the Nike Dunk was the next best selling silhouette, followed by the Jordan 4, which saw a number of hyped releases this year helping it to climb up to third place.

Demand for the Handball Spezial has grown 190% year-on-year, massively out performing the 24% increase we’ve seen in demand for adidas styles as a whole. But why has this seemingly simple terrace classic been able to beat out such tough competition to reach the top?

The key difference between the Handball Spezial and the other top selling silhouettes of the year such as the Jordan 4 or Jordan 3 is all about access. Any fan of Jordan Brand will know that getting the newest releases is never normally a walk in the park, however the Handball Spezial offered a trending silhouette that was easy to get hold of. The sneaker industry has seen a big shift in the past few years and one of the biggest changes has been "sneaker release fatigue". A lot of people no longer want to queue up or enter countless raffles for the latest “must-have” release, especially when there is seemingly a new “must-have” release every week. This year, the adidas Handball Spezial offered a simple, timeless silhouette that was always accessible, meaning it massively outsold the competition.

Couple that with an affordable price point of £85 and plenty of incredible colourways to choose from, it's no wonder the Handball Spezial quickly solidified itself as the must-have shoe for 2024.

More than 5 years since she left the Love Island villa, we’re still talking about the “Molly-Mae effect”. While some may groan at this, the impact that social-media and celeb endorsements can have on buying habits can not be ignored, especially in the age of TikTok. Molly-Mae was seen wearing the “Earth Strata” Spezial colourway in March of this year and instantly it seemed like every tabloid was talking about them. Within a matter of days, searches for the pair skyrocketed and since then retailers have had a hard time keeping the pair in stock. Other endorsements from Bella Hadid, Kaia Gerber and Paul Mescal also helped keep the shoe in the limelight all year round.

Last but not least, we can’t overlook the simple and classic styling of the Handball Spezial. At a time when people are buying less and looking for versatility, the Spezial is an option which will appeal to many. Featuring a flat sole, simple construction and the iconic Three-Stripe branding, the Spezial seemed to appeal to everyone, from the terraces of an away day to the TikTok 'For You' page. Although there have been some more trend focused colourways such as the Handball Spezial “Black Leopard”, the majority of the colourways offered simple colour-blocking in a neutral palette, making them an option regardless of season or weather.

If you haven't already picked up a pair of Spezials, now is the perfect time! Although there are some in-demand colourways right now which are hard to get your hands on, there are also a huge range of colourways which seem to be slipping under the radar.