Ghosting: Bad for texting, great for Halloween and niche little adidas sneakers.

adidas’ Ghost Sprint made waves for its resemblance to Miu Miu’s slim suede sneakers, but the technical track shoe can stand on its own two laces when it comes down to it.

This is made more than clear when the Ghost Sprint ventures away from its textured suede upper. In this case, sleek, delightfully dated leather wraps the upper in a cocoon of pearlescent leather that shines without tipping over into glossy territory.

This distinction matters, as it anchors the sneaker in the past and sets it apart from the high-shine, futuristic sneakers out there.

Contrast stitching maps out the Three Stripes and other parts of the sneaker, adding a touch of retro-futurism to the simple, slim silhouette. It’s on-trend but not overdone.

See, as far as flat sneakers go, the Ghost Sprint hasn’t seen the same heights as the Samba, but in a lot of ways, that is its superpower. Mega-viral moments are a double-edged sword where the sneaker circuit is concerned, as the crux of coolness often relies on a certain level of nichness.

Finding the sweet spot between wide-sweeping relevance and cultural obscurity is a tricky space to navigate, but the humble Ghost Sprint is taking the challenge in stride.