Until 10 years ago, if you were going to work, a bar, or any nice restaurant, trainers were a total no-go. Boots? Sure. Slingbacks? Chic. Heels? If you felt like pushing the boat out. But trainers were the remit of gym goers and dog-walking dads.
In the past decade, however, trainers have gone from the epitome of low-effort dressing to a staple in any fashion lover’s wardrobe. Now a day doesn’t pass without one of our favourite celebs wearing sneakers somewhere previously disallowed. Serena Williams’ neon Nikes at the Met Gala? Yes, please!
Until recently, the trainer du jour was the Adidas Samba. There are more than 110,000 posts tagged #AdidasSambas on TikTok, and according to Lyst, searches for the shoe are up 125% on this time last year – no mean feat considering they were already everywhere then.
While we’ll always have a soft spot for the classic Adidas trainer, we admit it might be time for a shake-up in the sneaker world. Enter the Puma Speedcat: a flat, sporty sneaker that’s already infiltrated the wardrobes of Emily Ratajkowski and Dua Lipa.
Originally released in 1999, the trainer’s design is inspired by the fireproof sneakers Formula 1 drivers would wear in the 1980s. The 2024 version has the same flat outsole and heel wrap accent, although it’s been updated with a new Puma cat logo on the toe and a bit more padding to support your arch. Practical and chic – what more could you ask for?
Don’t just take our word for it. During fashion week, Speedcats were everywhere, particularly in the new mocha colourway that’s bang on trend for AW24, with British designer Priya Ahluwalia even pairing the Puma trainers with several of her designs on the runway. Rihanna, meanwhile, stepped out in a suede brown pair two weeks ago. And given fashion influencers like Emili Sindlev and Baya Gorbunova are raving about the style to their combined two million followers, you can guarantee they’ll soon be sold out everywhere.
The key is the trainer’s sleek silhouette, which means styling-wise, it’s much more versatile than chunkier shoes. We love them paired with a long skirt or dress going into winter as a comfier alternative to mules or brogues, but they’re equally slender enough to go with tailored trousers or jeans without looking as if you’re wearing clown shoes.
You can shop the £90 Speedcats on Puma’s website, although limited edition colourways are harder to nab. Your best bet is to sign up to Puma’s mailing list, or else try a sneaker trading platform like StockX. Just another reason we’ll never be wearing heels again.
