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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.
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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.
