2000s Streetwear Style Is Here to Stay With Adidas’ New Adizero Aruku Sneaker Launch
The influx of retro running sneakers on the market, including this new adidas drop, proves that Y2K style isn't going anywhere
Sage Anderson
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April 14, 2025
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Atlanta rapper Gunna made an appearance at the Broccoli City Festival in August of 2024 wearing a pair of Adizero Arukus. adidas
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The early 2000s might not feel so far away, but if you’re trying to find some new inspiration for your closet, then that era is fair game. Style trends are pretty self-referential in nature, which means that less than twenty years later, the Aughts are already proving to be a goldmine for legacy brands digging back into their archives — case in point, adidas’ new Adizero Aruku chunky sneakers.
Chunky shoes have come through for a variety of fashion moments, including the dad shoe, the platform shoe, and yes, the beefy sneaker. But these Y2K styles have never been hotter — both the ones your pops used to lace up to kick around doing yard work, but also the footwear everyone was rocking back when Lil Wayne mixtapes were still dropping. Who’s to thank here? Well, performance-minded footwear giants like New Balance and adidas are heralding in the latest rise of streetwear-indebted retro sneakers, harkening back to early 2000s style, but now with a sportier edge.
But may we present to you the raddest, chunkiest, and retro-iest sneakers of all: the Adizero Aruku shoes, which revived an iconic ’00s runner with updated style (and comfort) for the modern era. Aesthetically, there’s a lot of upgrades here — a bold shape to reflect footwear trends of yore, more mesh, more sole — but here’s why this re-issued icon still looks killer today.
adidas Adizero Aruku
This running-inspired lifestyle sneaker blends Japan’s streetwear style with performance — although it’s meant to be worn anywhere, not just on the track. What’s interesting about adidas Adizero Aruku shoe, besides its bold, chunked-up design, is the name. Aruku means “walking” or “to walk” in Japanese, showing off its abilities as a solid walking shoe. That being said, regardless of whether you’ll be lacing these up for your next walk, the adidas Adizero Aruku definitely delivers on style.
Featuring a light, breathable one-piece mesh upper with TPU overlays and a heel counter, the Adizero Aruku is equipped with Swirlfoam cushioning (which infuses the foam with nitrogen similar to running compounds in shoes from Books and Puma) and a movement-friendly rocker midsole shape. The thin rubber outsole also has strategic cutouts to lightens the load while still providing all the traction you need for casual and serious runners alike. But adidas took inspiration from their early-aughts archive here for a reason, and these aren’t just for hitting the gym.
adidas
buy adizero aruku now on addias $140.00
To style them, throw these on with a pair of oversized chinos (wider-leg pants will help balance out the shoes’ hefty proportions) and a simple cardigan, or go for baggy jeans and a slouchy hoodie. Thick, structured jeans might be difficult to pair with these kicks, and there’s one absolute rule when styling chunky sneakers: no skinny pants or skinny jeans.
Bottom line? If other 2000s-era runners aren’t chunky enough for you, then the Adizero Aruku are anything but subtle and deserve to be added to your wardrobe rotation. Shop the collection at adidas.com and in stores now.
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