If anyone can make sneaker sandals cool, it's undoubtedly Y-3, adidas' coolest imprint.
Part of regularly pushing the boundaries of athletic stability and aesthetic curiosity is making weird shoes cooler than what was previously thought possible.
The Y-3 GSG9 Sandal, released as part of adidas and Yohji Yamamoto's Spring/Summer 2026 collection, takes a tactile approach to standard sandal rituals with its utilitarian outsole, crisscrossed strapping and contrasting suede and leather textiles, all unfurling in shades of nude and cream.
If the muted tones of the GSG9 inspire thoughts of combat-ready footwear, that's definitely by design. Even if most hybrid shoes have an inherent playfulness, the GSG9 draws inspo from some serious field runners.
The utility-forward design and tonal paneling pull inspo from the original GSG9 tactical police boot , adidas' 1970s boot designed for Germany's elite counter-terrorism police unit. It's basically a police boot — on vacation.
Quiet as it's kept, this isn't the first time adidas has found inspo in the armed services. Those tactical BW Army Decon sneakers that have taken over the flat ( if not collapsed ) shoe circuit? Yeah, those were actually made for Germany's military. This, of course, was long before they became the style icons they are today.
From boots to flat sneakers to sandals inspired by said boots and flat sneakers, adidas really does get in the field.
Tayler Adigun is a style and beauty writer covering the intersections of fashion and culture. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Howard University and a Master of Journalism degree from the University of Maryland. Tayler is a wedge sneaker truther (Isabel Marant for life) and is working on improving her vintage purse shopping game. She loves TikTok and spends an embarrassing amount of time scrolling through it.