adidas Gazelle 85 'Semi Court Green'
Colorway: Semi Court Green/Cloud White/Core Black · Style code: GY2532 · Release date: February 2023 · Price: $71 · Availability: Available now
Court green on the fuller 85 last is a combination adidas does not attempt often. Semi Court Green is a clean, mid-saturation green that comes out of racket sport rather than out of the earth-tone palette the Gazelle has leaned on for years, and on the heavier 85 pattern it has more surface area to work with. Cloud White handles the serrated three stripes and the toe overlay, and Core Black is held back for the smaller details, which stops the green from looking flat.
The 85 designation refers to the cut rather than to the colour: a fuller midfoot, a slightly thicker sole and a stance closer to the mid-1980s pairs than to the trimmed-down modern version. That extra volume is what the $130 price bought when the pair appeared in February 2023, against $100 for a standard suede Gazelle. A bright green also shows the shape of a shoe more honestly than a dark one does, so this is a good pair to look at if you want to see how the 85 actually differs from the regular model.