Wales Bonner x adidas Predator Elite Fold-Over Tongue: The Snakeskin Predator

Few designers outside football get to put their name on a Predator. In April 2026, Grace Wales Bonner did, with a snakeskin-effect Elite boot, a hand-stitched leather tongue and a chrome soleplate. Coverage at the time described it as her first genuine performance football boot.

It is an unusual boot in the Predator story. It is designed to be played in, and it is also unmistakably a fashion object. That tension is why it earns a place on this site.

Both adidas Predator Elite Fold-Over Tongue x Wales Bonner boots viewed from above, in brown and tan snakeskin print with pale blue trim, “adidas” and “Wales Bonner” on the insoles and tan leather tongues with embossed “WB” stamps The Wales Bonner Predator Elite, from above. Image: adidas

Why It Belongs on a Predator Site

The Predator has always been about attitude as much as engineering. The fold-over tongue is one of the oldest visual signatures of the original boots, and the modern Fold-Over Tongue version brings it back. Wales Bonner takes that detail and makes it the centrepiece: a tan leather flap with exposed stitching and a “WB” stamp, held down by an elastic strap printed with Predator on one side and Wales Bonner on the other.

Close-up of the tan leather fold-over tongue on the Wales Bonner Predator Elite, hand-stitched with an embossed “WB” stamp The tongue’s embossed “WB” stamp. Image: adidas

First Sighting: Myles Lewis-Skelly

The boot did not arrive with a press-conference reveal. Sneaker Freaker reported that it was first spotted on Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly in training, before the official images appeared. House of Heat later described the boots as co-signed by him. That is the best kind of Predator moment: a player in the boots before the public knew they existed.

At a Glance


Boot	adidas Predator Elite Fold-Over Tongue FG x Wales Bonner
Style code	JR4430
Colourway	Linen Khaki / Silver Metallic / Wonder White
Release	17 April 2026, via adidas.com and select retailers
Upper	Brown and tan snakeskin-effect print
Tongue	Tan leather fold-over, exposed stitching, “WB” stamp
Details	Chrome wavy Three Stripes, mirrored chrome soleplate, Wales Bonner branding on the heel, insole and tongue strap

Two adidas Predator Elite Fold-Over Tongue x Wales Bonner boots in snakeskin print, showing the chrome mirrored Three Stripes, soleplate and “PREDATOR” and “Wales Bonner” printed tongue strap Chrome wavy Three Stripes and a mirrored soleplate against the snakeskin upper. Image: adidas

The Designer: Grace Wales Bonner

Grace Wales Bonner is a South London designer, born to an English mother and a Jamaican father. She launched her label in 2014 after graduating from Central Saint Martins, and her work draws on cultural and archival research, with a focus on European tailoring and Afro-Atlantic heritage.

The awards followed quickly. They include the LVMH Young Designer Prize in 2016 and CFDA International Men’s Designer of the Year in 2021. In 2019 she collaborated with Dior on a reinterpretation of its New Look silhouette.

From Sambas to Predators

Wales Bonner has worked with adidas since 2020. The London Museum credits her with reviving the Samba, a boot-shaped silhouette that had long been overlooked, in the early 2020s. Taking on the Predator was a natural next step: another football design with a strong identity, in a fashion partnership already built on football heritage.

Her Spring 2026 collection with adidas included two Karintha colourways and two Gazelle Indoor snakeskin and pony-hair pairs. The Predator was the performance piece in the range.

Collecting It

The boot launched just ahead of the 2026 World Cup, when every brand was pushing football and fashion crossovers. Retail pricing varied by market, and the boots have since appeared discounted at some retailers. If you are tracking a pair, check the style code (JR4430) and the size and edition details before buying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who designed the Wales Bonner Predator?

Grace Wales Bonner, the British designer behind the Wales Bonner label, working with adidas. It is described in coverage as her first football boot.

What is the style code of the Wales Bonner Predator?

JR4430, in Linen Khaki / Silver Metallic / Wonder White.

When was the Wales Bonner Predator released?

17 April 2026, through adidas.com, the Confirmed app and select retailers.

How much did it cost?

It depends on the market. Reported launch prices ranged from around £230 in pre-release rumours to $350 in the US, and retailers have listed a £300 RRP in the UK. Sources disagree, so check a current retailer.

Who wore it first?

It was first spotted on Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly in training, ahead of the official unveiling.