adidas Gave Dhalsim Everything and Left Chun-Li’s Hair Buns Off: The Street Fighter LXCON Review

With the new Street Fighter movie in theaters since October 16, the BAIT x adidas sneakers that turned Dhalsim and Chun-Li into footwear in 2022 are worth another look. adidas Originals have almost always delivered some spectacular classics from its rich archive. Some standouts from the list include the Superstar, the Samba and the Stan Smith, to name a few. Over the past two decades, the Originals brand has reinvented a significant number of sneakers from its archive. In 2019, adidas Originals announced the reimagined version of its 1994 sneaker, the Lexicon. Looking back at the original Lexicon design, it featured mainstays of its era, including the chunky rubber outsole, rounded toe box, a thick upper and mesh trimming beneath the layered finishes.

The Hunt for the adidas LXCON: Why It Was So Hard to Find

Almost immediately after its release, I set about getting my hands on a pair of the newly introduced LXCON but that proved a bit of a challenge locally. While the sneaker itself formed part of a larger Originals Classics launch on our shores in 2019, it appeared mostly in marketing materials from various photoshoots. Interestingly, the LXCON was never on sale as a standalone silhouette anywhere in South Africa. And believe me, I checked.

Fast-forward to a post-COVID landscape where my pursuit of the LXCON never stopped. The lockdown made it difficult to import the sneaker from international stores, with import duties expected to almost double the price of the sneakers. At the same time, I also found no new releases for the LXCON for another two years, making it all the more difficult to find a retailer shipping to South Africa.

However, all that changed at the start of 2022 when a new collaboration was announced. adidas Consortium teamed up with BAIT and Capcom to announce a spectacular new drop – the BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas Consortium collection. One of the sneakers dropped within the collection was the BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas Consortium LXCON, which included two colourways, one for Dhalsim and the other for Chun-Li. This meant that I could now not only try to get a pair of LXCONs for myself, but I also had a reason to grab a second pair for my wife.

adidas LXCON Design: TPU Cable, Mesh Upper and adiPRENE Midsole

Taking cues from the original Lexicon sneaker, there are plenty of elements that make it way onto the new LXCON sneaker. This includes the classic mesh construction, which has been exaggerated on the upper, now covering almost the entirety of the upper. Unlike the original with its puffed-up three stripes, adidas has raised this with a unique TPU cable running from the heel to the vamp. The three stripes pattern also features some embroidery to secure the cable, which feeds into the unorthodox lacing system.

Added to this, the upper features plenty of mixed materials and overlays, including a host of various stitching and welding designs. Its base design is completed with its classic adiPRENE midsole, which comes straight from the original design. The one design change here is the switch from the previous leather arch on the upper to a TPU arch from the midsole instead. This provides both a difference in style as well as stability underfoot.

In all honesty, what should come across as a right mess with all the mix-and-match of design choices and elements, but it’s anything but. It features a combination of its classic and contemporary styles to create a more aggressive aesthetic with modern touches. It’s a design smorgasbord that comes together well.

BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas Consortium LXCON Dhalsim: Fire, Skulls and Combo Moves

With the above style choices still top of mind, the Street Fighter design takes it from a beautifully crafted and elegant design into a monster. The Dhalsim theme is so apparent it can’t be ignored. The puffy mesh is exchanged from the base LXCON to a fiery underlay, with a flame design surrounding the entire upper. Dhalsim’s iconic red stripes on his head and face are also showcased on the front of the upper, with the three stripes on the toe box, as well as the dual stripes of the cheeks featured on either side.

The three stripes add contrast atop the black base, which extend further toward the bottom with frayed edges, resembling Dhalsim’s ripped yellow shorts. The bangles from his wrists appear as lace charms on the front. The TPU cable extends to the rear and doubles as a pull tab on the rear. A brilliant detail added to the cable on the rear is the combo moves for Dhalsim from the Street Fighter II game. And, lastly, on the upper, there are the iconic three skulls that are also attached to the rear end of the TPU cable.

But that’s still not the end of it. The tongue on the left shoe features the Street Fighter logo, with the right shoe featuring the adidas Originals Trefoil. The inners also add more detailing. While both feature Dhalsim’s fire-breathe move, the left-hand side features the Street Fighter II and Capcom logos, with the right-hand side featuring the adidas Trefoil and BAIT logos.

As with the chaotic energy of the standard LXCON sneaker, the Dhalsim-themed sneaker takes it to a whole new level.

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BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas Consortium LXCON Chun-Li: Blue Mesh, Spiked Bangles and the Missing Hair Buns

The Chun-Li-themed sneaker doesn’t go as big as the Dhalsim with all its details, with a more moderate approach, sticking largely to the colour cues from the iconic character’s design.

The deep blue mesh upper forms the base of the design, with yellow detailing from Chun-Li’s outfit, specifically the pattern on the chest. While Dhalsim’s bangles are featured on the laces, Chun-Li’s black, spiked bangles are featured on the three-stripe overlays.

It also features a similar combo move set on the TPU cable on the rear and the Street Fighter and adidas Originals logos on the tongue. Lastly, the inners feature two of Chun-Li’s most iconic moves, the Hundred Lightning Kicks and the Spinning Bird Kick. Unlike the Dhalsim colourway, with almost all his design elements featured, there is one glaring omission on the Chun-Li design – her Niu Jiaotou, or ox horn, hairstyle. The double-bun hairstyle isn’t featured anywhere on the sneaker’s design.

While not as feature-rich as the LXCON Dhalsim design, the LXCON Chun-Li is still a great sneaker, with aesthetics tied to the iconic Street Fighter character.

Street Fighter x adidas LXCON Specs: Style Codes, Price and Release Date

• Release: the BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas capsule opened for pre-order on December 31, 2021, with shipping from late January 2022.
• LXCON pairs: Chun-Li (FY5361) and Dhalsim (FY5362), each priced at $140 at launch.
• Also in the capsule: two OZWEEGO pairs, Ryu (FY5363) and E. Honda (FY5364), plus matching tees.

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Is the BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas Consortium LXCON Worth It in 2026? Verdict and Where to Buy

The release of the adidas LXCON in 2019 was a brilliant redesign of the 90s classic silhouette. Although hidden behind more prominent sneakers released at the time, as part of a larger Originals pack, it was enough to send me on a chase to get my hands on a pair that lasted several years. With the later collaboration with Capcom and BAIT for the Street Fighter-themed sneaker, the BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas Consortium LXCON was a must-have.

Whether you’re a fan of the original Street Fighter game, the newly released 2026 movie [Rotten Tomatoes: 45%], or, as I am, a fan of the LXCON redesign, these sneakers are a must-have. If you’re still looking to get your hands on a pair of these sneakers, you’re in luck. The BAIT x Street Fighter x adidas LXCON, as well as the OZWEEGO and apparel, are still available directly from the BAIT official website and are currently on sale for under $90. They originally retailed for $140.

Street Fighter is in theaters now, and no streaming date has been announced yet, though as a Paramount Pictures release it is expected to reach Paramount+ later.

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adidas LXCON Street Fighter Comfort, Sizing and Wear-Test Notes

How do the sneakers actually wear? Here is the comfort and sizing breakdown.

Category	Score	Notes
Cushioning and comfort	[8/10]	Built on the adiPRENE midsole carried over from the original Lexicon.
Stability	[9/10]	A TPU arch replaces the original leather arch to add stability underfoot.
Breathability	[9/10]	The mesh upper covers almost the entire shoe.
Sizing	True to size	No need to go up or down a size.