The Bad Bunny Adidas Collab Sheds a New Light on the Forums!

The Bad Bunny Adidas collab sheds a new light on the Forums by reimagining a 1983 basketball classic. Launched across three $160 colorways in 2021, Benito’s Forum Buckle Low trilogy reached $550 to $1,300 on GOAT. Those drops revived an archival court silhouette that was last retroed in 2009.

• Archival Roots: Designed in 1983 by Jacques Chassaing for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic trials and retroed in 2009.
• 2021 Launch Trilogy: Included “The First Café” (March 2021, GW0264), “Easter Egg” (April 2021, GW0265), and “Back to School” (August 17, 2021, GW5021).
• Retail and Resale: Priced at $160 retail across all 2021 drops, with early GOAT asks hitting $1,000 (Café), $550 (Easter), and $1,300 (Black).
• Signature Hardware: Built with a removable roller-buckle ankle strap, stacked double tongues with “El Ojo” graphics, and bungee heel cords.

How Did the 1983 Adidas Forum Evolve into a Streetwear Icon?

French footwear designer Jacques Chassaing created the original Forum basketball model in 1983. After speaking with orthopedic physiotherapists about ankle sprains, Chassaing engineered a stabilizing criss-cross Velcro ankle system. That supportive high-top debuted at $100 retail, making it the first three-figure basketball shoe in history.

Before signing with Beaverton to launch the Air Jordan dynasty, Michael Jordan wore the white-and-blue Forum. He laced up the model during the 1984 USA Olympic basketball trials in Indiana. Street dancers and skateboarders later adopted the flat cupsole throughout the late 1980s.

Although Three Stripes celebrated the silhouette’s 25th anniversary with retro packs in 2009, the model sat quiet during the 2010s. Bringing the 1983 hardwood chassis back to center stage required a major music collaboration in 2021.

How Did the Bad Bunny Adidas Collab Begin in 2021?

By late 2020, Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio ranked as the most-streamed musician globally. As The Guardian’s music profile of Bad Bunny documented, his gender-fluid fashion sense turned him into a cultural powerhouse. His personal style blended chunky 1990s skate shoes with vibrant pastel outerwear.

Rather than designing a futuristic knit runner, Benito reached into the 1983 archive to rework the low-top Forum in 2021. That creative partnership followed the blueprint of the Adidas Pharrell partnership. Herzogenaurach gave the artist full control over proportions, hardware, and color storytelling.

The result was the Forum Buckle Low, a bulky skate-proportioned trainer priced at $160 retail. Every pair included a heavy metal roller buckle and stacked double tongues bearing the “El Ojo” emblem. Three sets of interchangeable laces came inside each box.

What Makes the 2021 Triple Black Forum Buckle Low Stand Out?

Released on August 17, 2021 for $160 retail, the “Back to School” colorway (GW5021) dressed the silhouette in monochrome black. Benito drew inspiration from the strict black school uniform shoes worn by students across Puerto Rico. The tonal finish made the chunky hardware wearable with almost any outfit.

To prevent the all-black upper from looking flat, the design mixed matte tumbled leather quarters with shaggy suede overlays. Glossy patent hits on the heel counter added subtle texture. A translucent smoke-black rubber midsole pivot circle completed the lower tooling.

Inspired by Puerto Rican school uniform footwear, the August 17, 2021 Triple Black Forum Buckle Low paired tumbled leather and heavy suede with the signature El Ojo double tongue.

Before the August 17, 2021 retail drop went live, early pairs on GOAT’s Triple Black Forum listing reached $1,300 asks. Beneath the removable Velcro midfoot strap sat stitched Spanish text reading “Yo Visto Así.” That phrase translates to “I Dress Like This” in English.

How Do The First Café and Easter Egg Editions Compare?

The collaborative series debuted on March 17, 2021 with “The First Café” (style code GW0264), retailing for $160. Named after the morning cup of Puerto Rican coffee that starts Benito’s day, the shoe used rich roast tones. Mocha brown leather combined with tan suede and warm cream panels.

Because “The First Café” was the inaugural colorway, production numbers remained very tight. Secondary market prices climbed rapidly after the March 2021 launch. According to GOAT’s First Café marketplace page, deadstock pairs reached $1,000 during the 2021 collaboration wave.

Less than three weeks later, the pastel pink “Easter Egg” edition (GW0265) dropped on April 4, 2021 at $160 retail. Trading around $550 on GOAT, the rose-pink suede pair proved that bold monochrome palettes could rival earth tones among collectors of hyped sneakers.

How Do Forum Buckle Low Sneakers Fit and Trade on GOAT?

The Forum Buckle Low fits true to standard US men’s sizing across all 2021 releases. That true-to-size fit holds even when wearing both the primary tongue and the snap-on secondary tongue. Removing the outer tongue and unclipping the nylon ankle buckle creates a roomier collar feel.

In 2026, complete deadstock pairs with the original dust bag, extra laces, and tongue shrouds hold strong collector value. “The First Café” trades between $650 and $1,000 per marketplace data. Meanwhile, “Easter Egg” trades between $380 and $550, and “Back to School” trades between $290 and $480.

Sellers listing pairs on major marketplaces should account for platform commission deductions before setting an asking price. Per StockX’s seller fee schedule, base transaction fees start at 9% plus a 3% payment processing fee.

How Can Collectors Secure Limited Adidas Confirmed Releases?

Collaborative Benito releases drop primarily through randomized queues and draw events on the Adidas Confirmed app. Select Tier-0 Shopify boutiques like Kith, Packer, Concepts, and Undefeated also receive allocations. Those boutique webstores typically release their pairs online at 10:00 AM EST on launch days.

Because Shopify stock on artist drops priced at $160 retail clears out in seconds, manual shoppers often miss out. Collectors frequently use automated checkout software to run parallel tasks across dozens of boutique storefronts simultaneously. Fast autofill and clean proxies prevent cart losses during heavy queue traffic.

Widely used multi-site platforms in 2026 include Valor AIO, Cybersole, Stellar AIO, and NikeShoeBot. Setting up Shopify task groups with residential proxies before release morning gives buyers the best chance of securing retail pairs.

Can you remove the extra tongue and buckle strap on the Forum Low?

Yes, the outer tongue attaches via metal snap buttons on the lace throat and the nylon roller-buckle strap slides out of the side loops for a cleaner skate profile.

What does the Spanish phrase under the Velcro strap translate to?

Stitched underneath the hook-and-loop strap is the phrase “Yo Visto Así,” which translates to “I Dress Like This” and references Benito’s 2020 song of the same name.