Balenciaga won’t keeps it collab kicks with Puma pristine

It is not clear if Demna Gvasalia is directly involved with this collaboration. But, as with other shoes under his watch, some destruction (or “distress”) is in order. Balenciaga’s latest collaboration is with Puma. And both have come together to rework the Speedcat, flat-sole (what shoe isn’t these days?) racing shoes that was first introduced in 1999. Balenciaga’s reiteration seems to be based on the the original version of the Speedcat, with the suede upper and very thin sole. But the similarity ends there. The new version has a ripped, white Formstrip trademark, as if a puma has really scratch a good part of it off.

While Mr Gvasalia at Balenciaga is most famously associated with the chunky sneaker trend, which he effectively launched with the Triple S in 2017, his very first pair of sneakers for the brand was actually much flatter and more understated: the Arena low-top. This was a pre-existing Balenciaga silhouette that he continued to produce and evolve. Even fans would have forgotten this subtle style, especially after the Triple S turned the ungainly chunky sneaker, aka dad shoes, into a major and surprisingly lasting trend. The world was truly ready for bulky, eye-catching kicks.

Although Puma’s first Speedcat was designed for the drivers in F1 races, its popularity necessitated a “lifestyle” version. The year after its launch, the German brand decided to make available the Speedcat in both mid-top and low top variants. More recently, a version that is meant to be closer to a ballet flat (again, which shoe isn’t) was released in March 2025. The current Balenciaga X Puma version has a “distressed” suede cowskin upper, with gold, hot-stamped branding of both the Balenciaga logotype and Puma’s ‘No.1’ logo above the Formstrip. Made-in-China, the sneaker sports a significantly lower profile than those associated with Balenciaga, but it is far from discreet.

Balenciaga X Puma Speedcat, SGD950, are available in seven colour from Balenciaga stores. Product photo: Balenciaga/Puma. Photo illustration: Just So