Hungry for new sneakers? Try the Paul Mescal Spezial

Paul Mescal really likes his Adidas sneakers. He has the Gazelles. He’s got the sambas. He has the Stan Smiths. He has a pair from the mega-hyped 2022 Gucci collaborationat. And it even has more underrated silhouettes like the gym-ready Dropset. But above all, the goal of the Irish actor is the Handball Spezial. Your humble majesty, we are amazed again.

On Monday, Mescal arrived in London at the studios of the radio show ‘Capital Breakfast’ to talk about everything Gladiator II. And on his feet were his favorite pair of Handball Spezials, specifically in the ‘Core Black’ colorway.

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The Handball Spezial was first introduced in 1979 and was originally designed for professional handball players who actually wore them for a living. Eventually, as more and more advanced models came onto the market, it became more of a lifestyle shoe. If GQ contributor Jake Woolf explained last year: “The Adidas Handball Spezial is of course not exactly a slacker; as you might imagine, it’s already on TikTok. That said, it’s barely achieved the same saturation point as the Samba or the Gazelle.”

And it’s true. Because while the model borrows some elements from its football-focused brethren, the Handball Spezial is sleeker and sleeker. The rubber sole has a unique wedge shape that is ridiculously comfortable. And Paul Mescal’s sneakers are made entirely of super soft pig nubuck. And even though he’s owned them for a minute now and they’re worn and loved, they still look great.

So next time you’re shopping for sneakers, it might be time to skip the Samba aisle. Pick something up Special instead of.

This story originally appeared on British GQ.