The Stone Roses, adidas, & MUFC Reconnect Through Terrace Culture

The Stone Roses and adidas link up once again, this time joined explicitly by Manchester United, reinforcing a relationship rooted in Manchester. This collaboration draws on shared history. Football terraces, late-80s adidas trainers, and the Madchester era all intersect here, as reference points that still carry weight in the city.

Rather than leaning on loud graphics or modern reinterpretation, the collection stays restrained. Two silhouettes anchor the footwear release, each pulling from a different part of adidas’ archive while reflecting distinct sides of Manchester’s cultural identity.

Stone Roses x adidas Tobacco White Gum

The Tobacco arrives in a soft off-white suede upper, paired with tonal Three Stripes that keep branding deliberately low-key. Black laces and a darker tongue bring contrast without shifting focus away from the silhouette itself. Underfoot, a classic gum sole reinforces the Tobacco’s long-standing place within adidas’ terrace catalogue.

This model leans more towards music culture than matchday aesthetics. The Tobacco has historically sat outside performance footwear, worn instead at gigs, pubs, and long nights around the city. That context feels intentional here.

Inside, the collaboration details are subtle. The insole features artwork inspired by John Squire’s designs from The Stone Roses’ 1989 self-titled album. The left tongue carries the band’s lemon icon, a symbol long associated with anti-establishment imagery and political protest. Two additional lace options are included, allowing for variation without diluting the overall look.

The Stone Roses x adidas Tobacco White Gum releases on January 14.

Stone Roses x adidas ZX 600 Black Red

The ZX 600 takes a more direct football route. Black mesh and suede panels form the base, accented with red and white leather Three Stripes that reference Manchester United’s traditional colour palette. Compared to the Tobacco, the build feels more functional and robust, reflecting the ZX line’s origins in mid-1980s running footwear.

A TPU heel clip anchors the rear, maintaining technical integrity from the original ZX series. While the silhouette carries more bulk than current terrace favourites, it stands apart precisely because of that. This is not a slim retro revival. It is a deliberate archive pull.

Manchester United’s involvement is most explicit here. One insole features the club’s crest, tying the band, the football club, and adidas together through a shared Manchester identity rather than surface-level branding. The same Stone Roses tongue detailing appears, keeping consistency across both models.

The Stone Roses x adidas ZX 600 Black Red releases on January 15.

TBeyond footwear, adidas will also release a wider adidas x Manchester United x The Stone Roses apparel collection. Track jackets, tops, and lifestyle pieces continue the terrace-led approach, expanding on the footwear narrative. The apparel range is scheduled to land on January 27.