There's a lot that's unrealistic about Kendall Jenner's closet. (Exhibit A: The heaps of The Row totes, shoes, and full runway looks lining her wardrobe.) The retro sneakers she tapped for a recent flight to New York City, however, are as relatable as they come.
Jenner touched down at New York City's JFK Airport on April 23, the better to reveal she'd breezed through security and into first class wearing what appear to be Adidas Tokyo sneakers. The 818 Tequila founder was nearly incognito beneath a mask, baseball cap, and sweatsuit with the hood pulled over her head. Still, the slim soles and triple stripe on her Adidas were a beacon a sneaker collector could recognize anywhere.
Adidas have always been a celebrity-favorite sneaker brand, with most of A-listers' love beaming toward its classic Sambas. Think of an It-girl (or guy), and a fashion editor can pull up a paparazzi shot where Sambas are present and accounted for. (That includes Kendall Jenner, of course.) But a sneaker vibe shift started at the top of 2025, as the slimmer, lace-up Tokyos and Taekwondo sneakers began to take over.
Jennifer Lawrence, footwear pioneer that she is, wore the Tokyos first around Manhattan. Sometimes she'd pair them with jeans and oversize wrap coats, other times she'd add Prada skirts and Celine sunglasses. Her outfits followed the celebrity footwear template editors know and love either way: bringing a single, sporty element to an otherwise down-to-earth outfit just by lacing up her shoes.
Anyone observing Kendall Jenner's street style might have anticipated she'd make the same move. When the model has worn Adidas (and affordable Nike sneakers) in the past, she's added rare Cartier watches and The Row top-handle bags for contrast. But Jenner decided to trot out her fresh Adidas Tokyos with her coziest, most relaxed sweats for a trip through the TSA PreCheck line.
Despite their early cameos in NYC street style, they're actually a perfect travel shoe. They slip on and off easily, they have a padded insole comfortable enough for long-haul flights, and they're free of any hardware that would set off a metal detector. Win, win, win.
So thank you, Kendall Jenner, for flying commercial—and sharing yet another way to style Adidas Tokyos in the process. Retro silhouettes may be the defining sneaker trend of 2025, but no others have quite as strong of a cost-per-wear. (Or as much A-list approval.)
