Another Lap – Puma Speedcat Returns

Puma's achievements in the field of motorsports are unparalleled. Well-before the world became F1-crazed thanks to Netflix, it was Puma who was outfitting everyone from Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen to Ferrari's Formula 1 team. For decades no other brand has come anywhere near the dominance that Puma has had over motorsports.

Much like track running footwear, motorsport shoes have evolved but the form has remained remarkably similar. Compare a state-of-the-art boot to something worn by the likes of Juha Kankkunen on the rally circuit of the '80s and you'll see much of the same—slim suede uppers and a thin flexible rubber sole. It's likely that for as long as humans are driving cars with their feet, motorsport footwear will continue on this trajectory.

Released in 1999, the Puma Speedcat brought this familiar design language to the streets—creating a phenomenon of the time. For anyone growing up in the early 2000's, the combination of slim footwear and wide—often boot-cut—denim was inescapable. Combined with trucker hats and an indescribable amount of diamantés on clothing, it was a time that many of us look-back on with fondness.

25 years since it's debut, the style universe which welcomed the original Speedcat is once more en vogue, creating the perfect circumstances for a bring-back. That's exactly what Puma has done, giving the Speedcat a retro in its original colourways of black and red, cut with a signature white formstripe.

The OG Puma Speedcat returns to UP THERE on Saturday, June 29.