We’re all bored of the search for the new it-thing – it’s become a caricature of a narrative, especially when it comes to sneakers – but we can’t not talk about the Puma Mostro’s major comeback this year. Since the first collab with Ottolinger back in October 2023 (which dug the sneaker out of the archive), Puma has reissued the shoe, releasing a handful of cold colourways and collaborations – with Ottolinger, A$AP Rocky, and the latest with Aries, which dropped last week. 25 years later, this y2k revival has come in strong.
The spikey soled silhouette was first released in 1999 – just before the new millennium, which brought a wave of futuristic designs, sci-fi excellence (see The Matrix) and a new thirst for all things technology. It was only natural that during that year Puma’s design department was cooking something different. The Mostro (Italian for ‘monster’) was designed as a hybrid of a ‘60s sprint sneaker and an ‘80s surf shoe, created by Puma designer Peter Schmidt, who was given the task of making a new trail shoe.
This outlandish fusion of mesh, suede, spiked soles and asymmetrical Velcro straps birthed the Frankenstein-esque Mostro. At the time Puma deemed it as a risky release, and shaved off the spikes in the initial drop – to make the Mostro more commercial. But, despite any scepticism at the beginning, the Mostro and its multiple variations became very popular, and its future-forward silhouette, which was initially expected to sell only 10,000 pairs, sold over a million pairs, with the likes of Madonna and Björk copping the shoe. Björk’s gold Mostro boots are the OG reference for the Ottolinger collabs.
To this day, 25 years later, the Mostro still has the same appeal and the same futuristic vibe it did when it was first released. And that’s because it doesn’t really look like anything else on the market. “It was ahead of its time,” said archivist George Roy Roberts, aka @inside.tag, in an interview with Grailed. “It’s hard to believe that it was designed over 20 years ago because, in my opinion, the Mostro is where footwear is heading,” pointing out that this sneaker underdog has been a reference for brands such as Acne Studios and Eytys.
The Mostro reflects the current zeitgeist of avant-garde, experimental aesthetics which are also seen in brands such as Ottolinger, Y/Project and Balenciaga among others, bringing in a new trainer to take over the crown. It’s the era of the slim shoe after all, and the Mostro resurgence is carrying on the baton from Puma’s sister brand adidas.
Think about it, what other sneaker represents the current culture? We’re way past the Samba craze, which is finally starting to dim down. We’ve also had Gazelles and Onitsuka Tigers, which have both been pretty popular – they’ll always be a classic but not revolutionary. There’s also the Puma Speedcat, whose Samba-esque slim silhouette has been a popular cop this year. And the Nike Shox, which has made a huge comeback in the past two years, with Martine Rose’s collaboration skyrocketing demand. Yes, the Nike y2k model, with its spacey retro spring-like pillars and innovative cushioning, is having a moment, but its releases have been pretty low-key.
The Mostro is the only one that’s giving main character, it-shoe energy. With cult releases in collaboration with different designers, the Mostro is following the footsteps of the Samba (which saw collabs with Wales Bonner, JJJJound, Pharrell and Pleasures, among many others), hitting us with heavy marketing and marking its territory in the sneaker world.
Two or three years ago, we would’ve argued that its silhouette might a bit too eccentric for the mainstream consumer, but in the past couple of years we’ve seen the rise of unconventional shoe designs in the zeitgeist, such as Margiela Tabis, the Vibram FiveFingers, McQueen by Seán McGirr’s horse boots, and LOEWE’s array of offbeat designs. From gothic to chrome metallics and neon colourways, the Frankenstein Mostro represents the alien-esque, freaky futuristic aesthetic that a lot of us are going for right now. And it’s here to stay.
Featured image Puma©
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