Sunak hits the campaign trail with upbeat tweet declaring ‘Sun’s out. Sambas on. Secure future’ (but wait Rishi, aren’t those Samoas you’re wearing?)

Rishi SunakAdidas’ attempt to get the Adidas Sambas back on the election trail after previously being ridiculed for destroying their credibility has backfired.

The Prime Minister today joined Tim Barnes, the Conservative candidate for the Cities of London and Westminster, and others Tory volunteers who spoke to voters in Pimlico.

After an afternoon of knocking on doors in the run-up to the July 4 general election, Mr Sunak shared a selection of four photos on his X account with a cheerful caption, declaring: ‘The sun is shining. Sambas on. Safe future.’

But just two months after apologizing to Adidas Samba fans for ‘ruining’ the stylish trainer, the Prime Minister suffered another misstep as it could be revealed he actually wore a pair of Adidas Samoas during the election campaign .

The Adidas Samoa, which currently retails for £75 on the German sports giant’s website, dates back to 1977 – several years after the launch of the popular Samba, which is described as a ‘legendary shoe with a rich history’.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (second from right in gray Adidas sneakers) tweeted: ‘The sun is shining. Sambas on. Safe future.’ But now it can be revealed that he was actually wearing Adidas Samoas, not Sambas

These are the Adidas Samoa sneakers that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wore during the election campaign

Mr Sunak was on the end of an online buzz when he wore the crisp white sambas to an interview in Downing Street in April

He later issued a ‘big apology’ after being ridiculed for killing the iconic Adidas Samba sneakers

Mr Sunak was at the end of an online buzz when he wore a fresh pair of white sambas to an interview in Downing Street in April.

British magazine GQ said that “in an attempt to present himself as young and hip, Rishi Sunak took an eternally cool sneaker and ruined it for everyone”.

Meanwhile, shoe historian Elizabeth Semmelhack told The Times that this could prove to be “the death knell” for the retro sneaker previously described as “the defining sneaker of our time.”

The Prime Minister, who has come under fire for his fashion choices in the past, issued a “full apology” to Samba fans at the time, saying he had been wearing the classic sneakers “for many years.”

Mr Sunak jokingly told LBC Radio on April 10: ‘I apologize profusely to the Samba community. But in my defense I would say that I have been wearing Adidas sneakers for many, many years, including Sambas – and others even.

‘The first pair my brother got for me many, many years ago: my first pair of nice Adidas sneakers as a Christmas present. I haven’t looked back since. So I have been a devotee for a long time.”

He added: “I did buy that pair (in the video), but I’ve had Adidas sneakers for a long time.”

The latest misstep adds to a long list of fashion mistakes the Prime Minister has faced in Downing Street.

The Conservative leader has famously worn suits that are too small for him, prompting fashionista Derek Guy – who lives in California – to say he is hostage to 1990s trends.

Derek, who created the Die, Workwear! fashion blog – said the Prime Minister was ‘just a little behind the times’, but dismissed conspiracy theories that the 6ft tall politician is opting for shorts to make himself look bigger.

Last June, Rishi Sunak was mocked for his choice of footwear when he wore these £150 Timberland boots in Dover

In a hilarious Twitter post, Rishi Sunak was photoshopped into a giant boot while giving a speech about migrants crossing the Channel

Although Rishi Sunak was dressed in a smart suit and tie during a Tory leadership speech in August 2022, his shoes had a hole in the sole

A few months earlier, Rishi Sunak was pictured wearing a £335 pair of sneakers loved by A-listers including Jay-Z, Drake and Reese Witherspoon

In July 2022, Rishi Sunak wore a £500 pair of Prada shoes on a construction site in Teeside. He is pictured next to Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen

And in 2021, the then Chancellor was mocked for wearing sliders from trendy streetwear brand Palm Angels

The Prime Minister is also joining the 1990s trend of wearing American university gear as loungewear, with a gray Stanford sweater being one of his favorites.

However, he is even more fond of his £46 dark gray Everlane hoodie, which he has worn several times.

However, his choice of casual clothes is not always well received.

In October 2023, the Prime Minister opted for a navy blue hoodie while conducting official business with the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas and the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Downing Street.

He paired the top with a white shirt and blue tie, which he paired with navy trousers and black shoes, but he was mocked online for looking like a ‘couch potato’ by critics unhappy with his dressing sense.

The Samba row was also not the first time the Prime Minister was mocked for his choice of shoes.

Last June he made another mistake when he stepped out in a pair of Timberland boots that were widely mocked.

Mr Sunak wore the £150 lace-up boots as he joined Border Force crews in Dover before giving a speech about his plan to stop small migrant boats.

But it was the boots, not the boats, that stole the spotlight – with many teasing him online by playing on his own catchphrase: ‘Stop the boots.’

The year before, he was criticized for wearing a pair of suede Prada shoes worth £490 on a construction site.

Mr Sunak unveils his shorts while speaking to Gordon Ramsay via Zoom during the pandemic

Mr Sunak was seen wearing his Stanford University jumper and sweatpants from premium sportswear brand Champion in 2021

Rishi Sunak opted for winter wear as he donned a navy blue hoodie and drank from a £25 Emma Bridgewater mug while speaking to Turkish and Palestinian leaders in October.

Meanwhile, in August 2020, the Prime Minister – who was previously accused of being out of touch – was pictured wearing shoes with holes in them as he made a pitch to his party.

In stark contrast, he came under fire five months earlier when he was spotted wearing a pair of white leather trainers worth £335 amid cost-of-living charges.

The brand of the expensive shoe was Common Projects – a New York label that is also a favorite of Jay-Z, Drake and Reese Witherspoon, among others.

Even when he was chancellor in 2021, Mr Sunak was mocked for wearing £95 ‘teenage’ flip-flop shoes from streetwear brand Palm Angels in a pre-Budget photo, with some pointedly suggesting that the then 41-year-old ‘acts his age’. ‘.