Formula 1 has helped give Puma the hottest sneaker in the world.

The red Puma Speedcat was named the third hottest product overall in the Lyst Index for the third quarter of 2024, which covers the summer. It’s the lone sneaker on the list of ten products and the second most popular footwear entry, behind only the Alaïa Fishnet Ballet Flat at first overall. Two other shoes appeared in the top ten, with Ganni’s Mid Shaft Biker Boot and Clarks Original’s Wallabees at sixth and ninth, respectively. The only other product appearing ahead of the Speedcat is the Coach Suede Brooklyn Shoulder Bag.

Debuted in 1998 as a sneaker for Formula 1 races, the Speedcat was reconfigured as the Speedcat LS, short for lifestyle, in 2021. The heavier marketing push and latest OG relaunch from Puma, however, hadn’t come until this year. The red colorway singled out by Lyst is the best invocation of the shoe’s F1 roots and has been photographed on celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski, who’s also worn the sneaker a number of times in other colorways, and Dua Lipa.

All colorways of the Speedcat are sold out on Puma’s website, while limited sizes can be found through third-party retailers including Kith and End. Clothing. Lyst says demand for the sneaker grew by 532 percent in August, and its reports are informed by searches on and off its platform, as well as product views, sales and social media behavior.

The Speedcat’s ascent comes after years of low-profile sneakers, the most prominent being the Adidas Samba, trending — as well as a spike in popularity for Formula 1, which recently entered into a new partnership with Puma after years of the German brand aligning with individual teams. A$AP Rocky serves as creative director for Puma’s Formula 1 line, and many of his own Puma sneakers have carried automotive references.

Fireproof versions of the Speedcat were first made for Formula 1 drivers in 1998, with the sneaker going on sale to the public a year later without flame-retardant properties.

In 2024 Q1 and Q2, Lyst named the Miu Miu x New Balance 530 SL, another thin-soled sneaker, and the Loewe x On Cloudtilt 2.0 as the hottest shoes, respectively.

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About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Formula 1 will head to Las Vegas late in November for a night race that includes the Strip, and to prepare for the occasion Puma is bringing a collection with “Neon Energy.”

Purple graphics define the Formula 1 x Puma “Neon Energy” collection, which includes a new version of the Trinity sneaker that commonly appears in the F1 capsules. Black and purple dominate the sneaker, the upper of which is made of leather of mesh. A purple IMEVA midsole works in conjunction with a SoftFoam+ sockliner for comfort, while a Formula 1 rubber tag hangs atop the white-trimmed Formstrip. Additional pops of color then come from a neon red heel pull and lace tips.

In addition to the sneakers, the “Neon Energy” collection features a range of apparel and accessories with pink lightning bolts that include T-shirts, a crewneck sweatshirt, shorts, padded vest, sweatpants and hat.

Puma has worked with individual Formula 1 teams since 1999, but the 2024 season is its first as the supplier for the entire racing class. A$AP Rocky is the creative director of Puma’s Formula 1 line, and the partnership’s first sneakers came through a capsule featuring the Futurecat Motorsport and CA Pro that released in the spring.

Ahead of last year’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, Puma vice president of Marketing Allison Giorgio told Footwear News: “Motorsport has been one of the most important categories in Puma’s history. We have a legacy of developing technical apparel that meets the highest FIA [Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile] standards and has been worn by the world’s greatest F1 teams. It’s been exciting to be a part of its evolution and growth globally over the years and get the chance to continue driving innovation forward.”

A press release says the Formula 1 x Puma “Neon Energy” Trinity sneaker and accompanying apparel are out now on Puma’s website and select stores, but the gear hasn’t yet appeared online. Keep an eye out on Puma’s website for the collection to drop soon.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

K-Swiss and McLaren Racing are launching their second collaboration of the year, as Formula 1 driver Lando Norris stars in the campaign.

Both the K-Swiss Si-18 Premier and Aero-Active sneakers take on a white, red, black and grey color scheme with branding for the McLaren’s most successful F1 car in its history. The former, a tennis sneaker that made its debut in 1989, features a mix of suede leather and mesh and MP4/4 marks on the tongue and near the lateral collar calling out one of the most successful cars in the history of the sport. The car won 15 of the 16 races it was driven in for the 1988 season and enjoyed the highest winning percentage for a season until 2023. Having led for 97.3 percent of the laps, the MP4/4 still holds the record for percentage of laps led in a season.

The Aero-Active is a model made specifically for the McLaren Racing team through an engineered mesh upper with seam-free construction, sculpted EVA foam cushioning and an anti-slip outsole. First appearing in white-and-orange and black-and-orange colorways earlier this year, the shoe now takes on the new scheme to match that of the MP4/4. Branding for the car is limited only to the tongue.

K-Swiss and McLaren announced the formation of their new partnership in 2022. The multi-year deal came after a massive spike in interest for the sport and is the first of its kind for both parties. For their first footwear launch, the partners launched the Tubes silhouette a year ago in May. 2024 will later see a third collection for the year launch.

The McLaren x K-Swiss Si-18 Premier and Aero-Active will release Friday, May 10, through the two brands’ websites, as well as select third-party retailers. Pricing for the Si-18 Premier is set at $140 and the Aero-Active $120.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

A$AP Rocky‘s newest Puma collection is bringing back the Inhale in its original color scheme and with a hidden detail reserved for a limited number of pairs.

The A$AP Rocky x Puma Inhale features a cream mesh base along with red and black overlays taking the shape of flames for a very aughts look. Just like a rerelease in 2019, the Inhale is true to its form with a gradient Formstrip and translucent upper. Rocky’s contribution is a custom insole featuring a number of archival graphics, but only 150 pairs feature the limited-edition detail and will only be doled out via gifting.

Puma launched the Inhale in 2000 as its flagship running sneaker intended for heavy mileage. Extra cushioning is targeted at the heel with e+Cell technology. A revival for the silhouette five years ago didn’t quite take off, although the odds should be better now given the ubiquity of Y2K running sneakers, Puma’s increase in popularity and the assist from A$AP Rocky. The Inhale should also benefit from the uniqueness of its overlays, which also call to mind the tribal tattoos that were trendy 20 years ago, as the the running shoes being brought out of the archives from just about every brand are all starting to look the same.

As creative director for Puma’s Formula 1 line, Rocky has made the Inhale as a part of a larger capsule that also includes T-shirts with seatbelt graphics, a distressed tracksuit and a balaclava styled like those racers wear under their helmets.

The A$AP Rocky x Puma Inhale OG sneaker will release May 3 through Puma’s website, followed by a wider release May 9. Pricing is set at $120.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Puma and Formula 1 have launched their first full collaborative capsule since inking a new deal last year to make the sportswear brand the official supplier for the highest class of international racing.

Three footwear models are included in the drop, each of which have been rendered in at least two colorways.

Leading the footwear option is the Future Cat Motorsport, a driving shoe featuring a partial leather upper with ProFoam technology in the midsole. The shoe is available in black- or white-dominant color schemes, both of which feature red trim, branding, and laces.

Puma’s CA Pro, a tennis shoe dating back to 1982, also boasts options for black and white. Formula 1 branding is added throughout, including an affixed key chain and special metal lace dubraes.

Rounding out the footwear assortment is the Leadcat 2.0 slide, which adds a third pink option to the black and white makeups.

In addition to the footwear, the capsule also includes a track suit, hoodies, T-shirts, sweatpants and football jersey following the same color scheme.

Puma has had a presence in the sport since 2001 through its deals with individual teams, but it’s relationship with Formula 1 has been made deeper since becoming its official supplier last year. The new deal comes amid a boon in popularity for Formula 1, and A$AP Rocky was brought into the fold as creative director, adding his own fashion and streetwear clout.

The debut Puma x Formula 1 capsule is out now through the former’s website and select stores. Pricing runs from $40 for the slides up to $120 for the CA Pro sneakers, while the apparel runs from $40 to $110.

About the Author:

Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.

Puma has a long-standing history in motorsports, so it’s fitting that the brand is pulling out all stops to ensure it wins over Formula 1 fans in the U.S.

For starters, the German athletic powerhouse announced last month that it had entered into a long-term creative partnership with style-savvy rap star A$AP Rocky. The rapper has assumed the role of creative director for Puma’s F1 partnership.

And in May, Puma announced it had entered into a deal with F1 for the 2024 season and beyond that makes the brand the supplier at Formula 1 races. This includes the rights to produce F1 branded apparel, footwear and accessories, and Puma will both equip F1 sports officials on track and create fanwear consisting of lifestyle and motorsport collections.

And this month, Puma teamed up with famed artist Joshua Vides and Scuderia Ferrari on a collection ahead of the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is slated to take place Nov. 19 at 1 a.m. ET (10 p.m. PT on Nov. 18 for locals).

The events leading up to the race have been marred by track issues, including a lose drain cover forcing the opening practice session on Thursday to end early, as well as scrutiny over the price of tickets and traffic issues caused by the construction of the track. Puma, however, has generated excitement, most notably with the splashy arrival of Rihanna at the event on Friday.

Below, Allison Giorgio, VP of marketing at Puma, revealed to FN how it’s approaching motorsports looking ahead and the opportunity the Las Vegas race presents the brand.

What advantages does Puma have in the ultracompetitive athletic marketplace as Formula 1’s popularity in the U.S. continues to rise?

“Motorsport has been one of the most important categories in Puma’s history. We have a legacy of developing technical apparel that meets the highest FIA [Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile] standards and has been worn by the world’s greatest F1 teams. It’s been exciting to be a part of its evolution and growth globally over the years and get the chance to continue driving innovation forward.”

How has this rise in popularity impacted Puma?

“It’s exciting to see the increase in popularity and interest in the sport, especially here in the U.S. This gives us the chance to constantly evaluate our opportunities in motorsport and further tell our brand stories through Formula 1 partnerships. The partnership also provides Puma with the opportunity to augment its established dominance in the sport by appealing to a broader fan base, tap into more diverse consumer groups, and bring the inspiration of on-track gear to off-track fashion.”

How have Puma’s partnerships with Formula 1, Williams Racing and others elevated the brand’s presence in motorsports?

“Our new partnership with Formula 1 is an opportunity to further explore this blend of motorsports and lifestyle. Puma has always sat at the intersection of sports and fashion and can now translate the culture of motorsport into relevant streetwear collections and drive brand heat with a young and diverse audience that’s only continuing to grow. And most importantly, it continues to build on the foundations we’ve laid over the years with other motorsport partners globally. We’re thrilled to expand our prestigious portfolio of F1 partners to include Williams Racing, their iconic and prestigious attitude aligns perfectly with Puma.”

What expectations do you have for the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix and its impact on both Puma and the sport in the U.S.?

“Las Vegas is a city known for world class entertainment and sports and we were thrilled when we heard that F1 would be bringing the Grand Prix to the strip. LVGP is going to provide race fans and sport enthusiasts with an incredible multi-day experience and as a brand we’re excited to be able to take part in the race through the lenses of entertainment, fashion and sport. We’re confident that both the F1 and Las Vegas Grand Prix teams will put on a successful Grand Prix.”

Why is it critical for Puma to show up authentically at the Las Vegas Grand Prix?

“At other Grand Prix’s, Puma has typically focused on race partner activations, driver appearances, retail activations and collaborative product launches. For this inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, we will expand that strategy and put an even greater focus on amplifying Puma as a leader in Motorsport culture. We will have several product launches tied to the weekend, like the Puma x Joshua Vides for Scuderia Ferrari collections and our first ever F1 capsule designed by our new Motorsport Creative Director, A$AP Rocky. We have talent and athlete activations all week long, an event dedicated to the car enthusiast community, and a larger push on out of home advertising, including on the new can’t miss Sphere.”

Puma has long supported major names in the sport, such as Lewis Hamilton. How has the partnership with Lewis Hamilton benefited the brand?

“Lewis Hamilton has been part of the Puma family since 2013 and a vocal partner when it comes to advocating for inclusion and equality, something Puma stands behind. Currently, our partnership with Lewis is extended through him being a driver for Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and continuing to bring awareness to the brand within the sport.”

What does A$AP Rocky offer as the new F1 x Puma creative director?

“A$AP Rocky’s fashion knowledge, style and cultural expertise will bring a new perspective to the growing F1 audience. For the remainder of this year, he’ll have an impact on visuals and video content for the brand, including his just announced debut capsule collection with Puma and F1. His first campaign, which he has been working on behind the scenes as both creative director and producer, explores car culture in America and the impact it has on streetwear and fashion. Rocky will also focus his energy and efforts on developing bespoke capsules designed by him, that will influence the brand’s seasonal design directions moving forward. His first capsule collection dropped in time for the Las Vegas Grand Prix and there’s still more to come with Rocky and Puma.”

What can consumers expect from Puma as the exclusive seller of fanwear for the F1 teams starting in 2024? And what product innovations, both on and off the track, can we expect from the brand in 2024?

“Continued innovation in all product drops that continue to drive motorsport style from the track to the street. Puma’s history in motorsports sets us up perfectly for all that’s still to come within this fast-growing sport, especially in the U.S.”

Rene Caovilla designed a special edition sandal in Formula 1’s signature red just in time for the Las Vegas Grand Prix this weekend.

The luxury Italian house embellished its strappy serpentine “Margot” sandal with cherry red and white crystals that deliver a dégradé effect. Crafted from supple leather and equipped with a slight platform, the eye-catching silhouette’s defining feature is a serpent-like band motif that wraps around the skinny stiletto heel and extends past the ankle with a coil design.

The exclusive style will only be available at Rene Caovilla’s Las Vegas Wynn & Encore store located at The Shops at Wynn & Encore.

The maison, whose headquarters are in Venice, was founded by Edoardo Caovilla in 1934 but didn’t gain international recognition until the 1960s when his son Rene Fernando Caovilla took over the company. In addition to the Margot, the brand is best known for its elegant Cleo silhouette. The iconic wraparound style — undeniably Rene Caovilla’s most iconic shoe — celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. There are many different variations of both the Cleo and Margot models.

Celebrity fans of the brand’s statement sandals include Kim Kardashian, Olivia Culpo, Taraji P. Henson, Chrissy Teigen and Lindsay Lohan. The Skims mogul just wore a vibrant orange iteration of Rene Caovilla’s Supercleo sandals at her 43rd birthday party last month.

For spring 2024, the fashion house debuted a metallic wedge Cleo sandal at Milan Fashion Week. The new shoe seamlessly aligns with Rene Caovilla’s signature rococo aesthetic.

Gayle King’s smile and shoes shined brightly on the F1 Academy Series race track in Austin yesterday.

The “CBS Mornings” host wore silver sparkly platform sneakers from Mui Mui to meet with the drivers competing in the all-female F1 Academy races and fellow stars in attendance. She completed the look with a mauve knit sleeveless midi dress, coordinating eye glasses and a chic Louis Vuitton monogrammed Dauphine chain wallet.

This is not the first time King has shown off these sparkly shoes. She also wore them to take her daughter Kirby Bumpus to Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour show in Las Vegas in August, when she paired them with a holographic silver dress from Amazon. This summer, the dynamic mother-daughter duo also caught Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour. There, King wore another pair of bold, platform designer sneakers, the sold-out rainbow Chloe Namas.

During the F1 Academy Series, King awarded the race two winner, Hamda Al Qubaisi of the United Arab Emirates, with her trophy and even got to pose in a race car herself. On the track, King also grinned for a selfie with “The Peripheral” actor Chloë Grace Moretz and caught up with sprinter Sha’Charri Richardson.

Sunday’s races are part of Formula One’s efforts to bring more women into the motorsport and into F1 itself, which has not had a woman compete in its Grand Prix since 1976.

The broadcast journalist has been a fan of F1 racing since she met British champion Sir Lewis Hamilton years ago at Nelson Mandela’s birthday party. This was her fourth visit to the United States Grand Prix in the Texas capital, where she also got to watch Hamilton come in second during the main race.

When she’s not running around in stylish sneakers, King opts for colorful, embellished pumps or heeled sandals from the likes of Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik or Jimmy Choo. When she channeled Barbiecore during an August 16 taping of “Good Morning America,” she matched her bright pink dress with a pair of SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker “Reflection” pointy-toe pumps, elevated by a color-blocked metallic toe.

Gayle King’s Shoe Style Through the Years

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It’s officially a family affair at Puma for Rihanna and A$AP Rocky. Today, the company announced its long-term creative partnership with the rapper where he takes on the role as creative director for the brand’s F1 partnership.

Rihanna, meanwhile, is back at Puma. The surprise deal was first revealed in the middle of Paris Fashion Week in March, and last month, she launched the Fenty x Puma Avanti sneaker — marking the debut collection since her first partnership with Puma ended in 2018.

For partner A$AP Rocky, he will focus on the intersection of motorsport and streetwear, developing bespoke capsules that will influence Puma’s seasonal design directions as well as bringing a fresh perspective to the growing F1 audience.

In May, Puma unveiled an exclusive deal with Formula 1 for the 2024 season and beyond.

Next year, Puma will be the the official supplier at Formula 1 races, granting the brand the right to produce F1 branded apparel, footwear and accessories. The Herzogenaurach, Germany-based, multinational activewear company will also equip Formula 1 sports officials on track and create Formula 1 fanwear that targets the sport’s different audiences with new lifestyle and motorsport collections.

With A$AP Rocky as creative director, Puma plans to adopt an incubator-style approach, termed “in the lab,” for creative exploration. For instance, during the rest of this year, he will influence Puma’s visuals and video content. In addition, Rocky will drop an extremely limited Puma x F1 collection, which will provide a sneak peak into a series of capsule collections for 2024.

In May, Rocky will then focus his creative attention on several Grand Prix races beginning in Miami. He will also curate activations at each of these F1 races and serve as the creative director for all of the marketing efforts surrounding these collections.

“Working with brands as iconic as Puma, and as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring,” A$AP Rocky said in a statement. “When the world sees what were doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brands approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.”

By 2025, A$AP Rocky aims to integrate himself more deeply into the overall creative design process for all Puma x F1 products, ranging from racewear and fanwear to fashion. He will continue his involvement in marketing, intending to bring innovative changes to the category through unique product design and concepts.

Maria Valdes, Puma’s chief product officer, added, “He’s incredibly talented, deeply thoughtful and invested in our brand. He will showcase his vision with elevated F1 race capsules globally, which attract new audiences and undoubtedly disrupt the track.”

Shakira certainly stood out at the F1 Grand Prix of Spain in Barcelona on Sunday. The singer attended a race featuring British race driver Lewis Hamilton.

The Colombian pop star took to Instagram to show off her fun look for the race, which saw her donning a colorful silk Versace shirt featuring a whimsical print complete with ladybugs and butterflies. She wore the loud blouse partially unbuttoned with a light pink bra top underneath.

The hitmaker kept the Instagram post’s caption brief, writing, “Nice to be back in Barcelona!” Donatella Versace was quick to comment, quipping, “Looking AMAZING in Versace @shakira .”

On the bottom, she sported a simple white miniskirt and laced up a pair of peach-hued platform sneakers.

The Grammy-winning artist completed her look with Converse high-tops for the occasion. She is likely wearing Converse’s All Star Move platform shoes, which retail for $75. The chunky style features a canvas upper and a thick white sole with a slightly curvy, exaggerated design.

Last month, Shakira was awarded the first Latin Woman of the Year award at the inaugural Billboard Latin Women in Music Awards. She wore a sleek black minidress from David Koma’s resort 2023 collection along with Versace’s strappy Tempest platform pumps for the special occasion.

Throughout her career, Shakira’s shoe style has included classic, pointy-toe pumps, as well as styles with dramatic platform soles and towering stiletto heels, often from brands like Sergio Rossi, Christian Louboutin and Versace. Off-duty, she tends to reach for bold boots, wedges, and strappy sandals from the likes of Saint Laurent and Prada. She’s also been known to wear sneakers from brands such as Nike and Asics.

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