Why has there been a commotion about British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision to wear Adidas trainers?

London: During a Downing Street interview, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made waves for donning a stylish pair of $100 Adidas Samba sneakers. But the response to his ‘trendy appearance’ may not have been what he had anticipated, as the 43-year-old politician of Indian descent received a barrage of negative remarks on social media for wearing the well-known Adidas trainers.

In addition to a white shirt, blue jeansand black shoes, Sunak was seen supporting his government’s tax policy during the interview while sporting trainers from a German sportswear brand in the colours grey, white and black. Once considered the “coolest shoes” of the year, Adidas Sambas are now out of style. Because Sunak donned Adidas Sambas, some are declaring the death of the brand.

Given the harsh criticism, Sunak was forced to issue a “fulsome apology to the Samba community” and claimed to be a “longtime devotee” of the brand, having worn the sneakers for a number of years. Sunak is not in a good place right now, since the backfiring fashion moment coincides with the Conservatives’ sharply decreasing popularity, which portends a crushing loss in the next elections.

Why is Sunak being hated so much?
Adidas refers to Sambas, which were introduced in the 1950s, as a “legendary shoe with a rich history” and mentions that American model Bella Hadid, music sensation Rihanna, and British singer Harry Styles all love them. Shoe lovers, however, said that the British PM’s attempt to be fashionable had ruined the brand’s image and that this was the “death knell” for the company.

Sunak spoke on the tax policies of his government, but everyone’s attention was fixed on his shoes. Since Sunak had spoiled the appearance for everyone, a number of social media users said they would sell their shoes online. The incident was described by journalist Michael Hogan as “yet another try-hard bid to appear relatable” that failed. “Even the most ardent sneakerheads know there is a time and a place for a gum sole, and the British public have decided on-camera at 10 Downing Street is neither,” CNN said.

To make matters worse, the sneakers looked brand-new and immaculate, as if they had just been taken out of the box. “Not tolerable. The British GQ magazine said that Sunak “ruined it for everyone, taking an eternally cool trainer and trying to present himself as young and hip.” It was “transparent and cynical.”

One sarcastic social media user said, “His trainers really helped (the video) become easily understandable and relatable for me.” “Rishi Sunak wore those sambas to seem more regular, but for no other purpose. The guys are PR and publicity fiend,” said another netizen. “Totally inexcusable,” said another user on X.

Notably, despite the nation’s economic crisis and the government’s consideration of harsh budget cutbacks, Sunak is the richest prime minister in British history. He and his spouse, Akshata Murthy, revealed an astounding net worth of 730 million pounds ($837 million) in May of last year. His wife, Akshata, the daughter of Infosys founder Narayan Murthy, is largely responsible for his family’s fortune, even though she has been charged with tax cheating.

The apology from Rishi Sunak to Samba fans
The British prime minister issued a “fulsome apology” in response to the strong criticism he received on social media for his choice of Adidas Sambas, but he stood by his decision to wear them. “To defend myself, let me mention that I have worn Adidas sneakers for a very long time, including Sambas and other brands. My first pair of colourful Adidas shoes that I received as a Christmas gift many, many years ago from my brother. Since then, I haven’t turned back. I’ve thus been a longtime fan,” he said.

Even though he acknowledged that the shoes he was wearing in the interview had just been purchased, it didn’t take away from his strong bond with the company. Sunak, who has previously faced criticism for his pricey Italian designer shoes and oddly short pants, laughed and said, “As ever, I remain intrigued and amused by the amount of focus on what I’m wearing.”

The backlash against Rishi Sunak and his Conservative Party comes at a bad time, as a recent poll indicated that the party will lose the most to the Labour Party in this year’s national election as a result of the government’s inability to boost the economy and address the cost-of-living crisis. A leadership change within the ruling Conservative Party is being called for ahead of the election, and Sunak is finding it difficult to weather the internal strife.

According to the survey, Sunak is still having trouble gaining traction after last month’s tax-cutting budget and before the May municipal elections. According to the YouGov survey, there are speculations that a number of Tory MPs are eager to replace Sunak with Penny Mordaunt, his former competitor for the leadership and current Leader of the House of Commons in his Cabinet. Penny is expected to lose her seat. According to the study, Labour would get 403 seats, while the Conservatives would only secure 155 seats in the next election.

Other lawmakers wearing chic footwear
Sunak is by no means the first individual to flaunt fashionable footwear in public. At an Obama Foundation event in Malaysia, former US President Barack Obama was seen wearing brand-new bpx Stan Smiths. The social media response to his appearance was overwhelmingly favourable, with many praising him for his taste and relevance, according to CNN. In addition, US Vice President Kamala Harris received praise for her “brave subversion” of the political dress code by donning Converse trainers while on the 2020 campaign trail.

Why were there disparate responses to Sunak? This is due to the fact that Obama, like Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan, was renowned for dressing conservatively while in office, only donning classic suits. It wasn’t until he departed the White House that he began wearing trainers. In a similar vein, Harris wore the trainers on occasion but never once when in the Oval Office, continuing to project an air of professionalism that others noticed.

But last year, when former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Leader Representative Hakeem Jeffries were seen wearing hybrid dress trainers in the Oval Office, they received comparable criticism to that which Sunak received. The first past president to take advantage of the growing trend was Donald Trump, who launched a footwear brand in Philadelphia.