According to Alberto Turincio, head of PR and social influence sportstyle for PUMA, the Speedcat is “one of the highest-selling shoes in the history of PUMA.” That being said, its era of reign was essentially limited to the early 2000s. Of course, we can’t forget the valiant revival attempt by the German athletic wear company some years back to mark the silhouette’s 20th anniversary.

For this milestone, the OG PUMA Speedcat silhouette got a co-branded detail by way of a Sparco logo on the tongue. In case you didn’t know, Sparco is the Italian racing apparel company with which the PUMA Speedcat was co-created. Hence why some affectionately call the PUMA Speedcat the “Sparco”.

PUMA Speedcat OG “Black” (left) and PUMA Speedcat OG x Sparco “Black” (right). Images via PUMA.

Unfortunately, Sparcos still didn’t quite spark that much interest among the general public—at least not in the way it did in the early 2000s. And definitely not in the way the adidas Sambas are in today’s sneaker climate. But all this might change for the PUMA Speedcat in 2024.

PUMA, in a genius move, is re-releasing the OG Speedcats in their OG colorways: Red, and Black. They drop 13 July 2024 at midnight for those in Singapore. Elsewhere, they’ve already been re-released on 29 June. Just in case you’re wondering why this is a smart move for PUMA, let us hypothesize.

PUMA Speedcat OG “Black” (left) and PUMA Speedcat OG “Red” (right). Images via PUMA.

The first reason is that the climate of fashion is prime for it. Fashion, like most things in history, moves in patterns and cycles. The wave right now is 2000s fashion—the time period the Speedcats gained enough traction to zoom off the tracks and into people’s shoe collections.

Another factor in play is the resurgence of PUMA as a lifestyle brand not to be missed. This has been in motion for a while now but seems to be culminating in 2024 with the likes of major celebrities backing the brand. Rihanna’s tenure with PUMA continues—her FENTY x PUMA Creeper Phatty Pack just released.

To boot, the father of her children, A$AP Rocky, was named Creative Director of PUMA’s F1 line not too long ago and has released an apparel collection to accompany it as well as an iteration of the PUMA Inhale OG. As if this wasn’t enough already, PUMA decided to make BLACKPINK’s Rosé a Global Brand Ambassador.

Then, on the more “quiet” side of celebrity endorsement, in the realm of influencer marketing on social media, things have been in motion for the Speedcat. The adidas Samba had the likes of Hailey Bieber, Kendall Jenner, and Bella Hadid do much of the legwork via unspoken “sponcon”.

For the PUMA Speedcat, it has American model and actress Emily Ratajkowski—AKA EmRata—doing the same. She single-handedly has created media buzz around the PUMA Sparcos just by wearing them casually around town—albeit repetitively—but it go the job done. Countless articles in fashion magazines are a testament to this, as is the buzz on social media.

The final and perhaps most poetic reason why PUMA Sparcos will likely become the next it-shoe is the public’s increased interest in motorsports and, consequently, the fashion surrounding it. What football (or soccer if you are from America) did to create Blokecore is being mirrored in this arena of the sporting world as well.

Just take a look at the recent Supreme x Ducati collection to get an idea of what we mean, or Drake’s Nike NOCTA collaboration with L’Art de L’Automobile, for instance.

Drake wearing a jacket from his Nike NOCTA x L’Art de L’Automobile collection (Left) and pieces from the Supreme x Ducati collection (right).

All things considered, these are pretty strong reasons why the PUMA Speedcat might just be poised to dethrone the adidas Samba and become the global silhouette supreme. Or maybe not. Either way, just have fun wearing the shoes you choose, because, after all, you’ve got to be happy with them.

If PUMA Sparcos are up your alley, take a look at some pairs we offer down below!

Some PUMA Speedcats on the SNKRDUNK App That Might “Sparco” Your Interest:

---

Images via PUMA; Getty

For the latest releases, breaking news, and exclusive interviews, stay tuned to the SNKRDUNK Magazine and @snkrdunk on Instagram. Explore the SNKRDUNK App too and don’t forget to use our welcome code from the banner below before making your first purchase. Additionally, if you would like to try a pair out, visit our stores in Singapore and Japan!

---

More SNKRDUNK Features:
24 Shoes Released in Tandem With Summer Olympics 2024
The Best of Supreme’s Spring/Summer 2024 Collection
Top Trending Shoes of 2024 (So Far!)
La Rocca Studio: Where Sustainable Fashion Meets Bespoke Charm
Beyond the Geta: Japanese Fashion Designers and Their Best Sneaker Collaborations