The quintessence of Puma, the “Clyde” turns 50 this year and with that said, expect to see some special releases throughout the year. One of which is the BILLY’s and mita sneakers’ Clyde No. 1 “Walt Frazier”. A pair released exclusively through the Japanese retailers’ platforms.

Every brand has a model that they’re most synonymous with like Nike and the Air Force 1, Vans and their Old Skool. For Puma, it’s the Clyde—the signature shoe of one of basketball’s greatest, Walt Frazier. It takes after his nickname “Clyde” after wearing a fedora similar to the one worn by Warren Beatty for his portrayal of Clyde Borrow in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde film.

As one of the most flamboyant dressers in the sport, many colors were released making it a silhouette beloved by fans for its versatility. A white one was one of them which allowed for customizers to add their own twist using a suede dye. The colorway has become an enigma since, rarely seen until now, after BILLY’s and mita sneakers revived the sneakers while integrating a contemporary take for its return to the spotlight.

This commemorative edition dresses the classic with an ivory keys hue throughout with a tonal rendering distinguishing its parts. The Puma form strip is silk screened onto the profiles of the premium suede upper adjacent to the perforations above and below. They’re presided by the hallmark cat logo and the cursive “Clyde” imprint.

Moreover, it’s most distinguishing feature comes on the tongue that sees a detailed imprint of the cat logo. On the footbed are points marking the milestones of the model, chaperoned by the wave strip further in the interior. It’s a surprising minimalistic take for the signature shoes of the game’s first sartorialist.  

It’s not the first time BILLY’s has done this before, having seen a similar take on the adidas Stan Smith recently.

Find them on BILLY’S and mita sneakers come 8 April with a price tag of JPY14,300 (~US$107).

In other sneaker-related news, find out more about the incoming Bodega x Vault by Vans.