Adidas Gazelle vs Nike Cortez
Adidas Gazelle
Nike Cortez
Gazelle owns the European terrace scene, Cortez rules the American West Coast — two legends, two coasts.
How They Compare
The things that actually matter 💅
Pick Your Side 💜
Which one stole your heart?
Which One Is For You?
Two amazing products, two different vibes ✨
- You want the shoe that is all over Paris and London right now
- You prefer soft suede over hard leather construction
- You enjoy pairing slim retro sneakers with tailored pieces
- You want a shoe with deep roots in West Coast American culture
- You prefer the durability of leather for everyday beating
- You like a sneaker that tells a story without being trendy
The Full Story
LoveBar's deep-dive, written for humans 💕
Adidas Gazelle and Nike Cortez are both slim retro sneakers with massive cultural legacies, but they grew up on different continents. The Gazelle has been a fixture of European street culture since the 1960s — football terraces, Britpop scenes, and now fashion runways. The suede version feels soft and looks expensive, and the current fashion wave has put it on the feet of every model and editor in Europe. The Cortez is pure Americana — Bill Bowerman designed it, it helped launch Nike, and it became embedded in West Coast culture from running tracks to lowrider shows. It is tougher, cheaper, and carries a weight of cultural meaning that transcends fashion trends. The Gazelle is having its moment, and it is a big one. The Cortez does not need moments because it never left. Both are slim, both are low, and both look incredible with just about anything. Your choice is basically a flag on the map of where your style allegiance lies.