PUMA’s Low-Profile Lineup Was the Unofficial Uniform of Paris Fashion Week

took over the Paris streets with the sleek and sporty last January, so this AW25 season provided an opportunity to peruse how the trend had evolved in the year since. Sure enough, the Big Cat’s claws were well and truly stuck into the scene, with the avenues of Le Marais abound not just with Speedcats but also their cult classic and devilish . Here's how the low-pro styles took the city's creatives from day to night.

Hello H-Street

Anyone who’s experienced will know just how much legwork it takes to get through it. As glam as it sounds, the reality adds up to a 7am–midnight schedule, a diet of espresso and whatever canapés you manage to grab at the only catered event of the evening, and approximately 20,000 steps per day. And when you’re running from casting to casting, trying to bag those street-style shots (hello Getty library!), networking over drinks or heading to post-show parties, comfort really is key. Although cushioning doesn’t immediately come to mind regarding low-slung sneakers, all are not created equal and some actually do manage to pack in some comfort down below. One such silhouette is the recently-revived H-Street – a 2003 model adapted from the brand’s Harambee sprint spike.

PUMA’s history in track and field has rendered the Harambee a legend, and so even back in the noughties, the lifestyle-geared H-Street quickly picked up pace on the street. A clear evolution of its sporty predecessor, it saw the Harambee’s sprint-specific PEBAX-spiked sole replaced with a reworked EVA and rubber-studded sole unit, and the upper was reinvented with large airy cell mesh and a sleek new shape. Runners loved it because it was also super light, with pairs weighing in at just under 170 grams (6 ounces). These touches carried over to the 2025 version so that the silhouette remains authentically noughties-looking and ready to step out into the competitive Y2K-obsessed fashion scene.

But the Fashion Week crowd can spot a fleeting trend a mile off, and for a model to really resonate with the creative set, it needs to be backed with authenticity. The H-Street definitely boasts this, with an air of quiet confidence and subtle smugness in a market where carefully curated wardrobes and collecting archive pieces are all the rage. Before its reintroduction, pristine versions of its vintage edition have been obsessively hunted by , making the piece a cult classic among Big Cat fans, tastemakers and archivists alike, and its elusive status is no doubt appealing to those who like to be at the forefront of the trends. It helps that the H-Street’s roll-out has remained relatively low-key, relying on its IYKYK status with the fashion set as they start to work it into their rotation.

Throughout the week, the H-Street’s day-to-night versatility was on full display, with the new selection of bright colours and metallic finishes proving impactful on the streets. A lucid lime green with silver accents makes a statement peeping out from wide-leg trousers or paired with an all-black ‘fit, while a black and silver edition is subtler but still eye-catching enough to hit all your appointments and events in.

More Mostros

Self-expression is key when it comes to Fashion Week, so it was natural for some creatives to gravitate towards some of the Big Cat’s more daring silhouettes like the PUMA Mostro. Originally designed by in 1999 as one of PUMA’s early lifestyle sneakers, the Mostro also evolved from a track spike like the H-Street, although it ended up taking a completely different path, metamorphosing into a low-pro prowler with a mean stance and spiky sole. But although the Mostro’s profile takes some getting used to, there’s no denying that the model carries its own certain kind of je ne sais quoi – just ask the likes of Bjork or Madonna.

With a fashion-fervent audience firmly in the monster’s jaws, it was no surprise that the cool kids were rocking Mostros for their pre-fashion show streetstyle snaps and after parties, and the model even appeared in mule form at the Louis Gabriel Nouchi show. Now a jewel among PUMA’s current lineup, the Mostro comes in an array of shapes, colours and materials to suit everyone. The ‘Hyper Pink’ and ‘Electric Blue’ Mostros add pops of colour and are a guaranteed conversation starter, with the latter featuring a 3M Formstrip for a stand-out shot. There are also perforated leather Mostros, calling back to one of the model’s OG evolutions, as well as the Mostro Alto boot. This year, there’s even a Mary Jane version called the , which sees the monster take on a new feminine form as it continues its rampage across the fashionscape – no doubt we’ll see plenty of those as we get closer to the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere.

It’s Still Speedcat

Last but by no means least, the Speedcat continues to hold the fashion set in its vice-like grip. Having transcended Formula 1 to end up on a different circuit, the streamlined silhouette had plenty of presence on the ground in both its usual and new Ballerina shape. After sailing through its wearer’s packed schedule, the Speedcat was more than happy to party on throughout the night, where an upcoming black-and-yellow pair lit up the dancefloor.

From dawn to dusk, PUMA’s low-profile lineup proves to be the perfect fit for any fashion-forward occasion. Whether it’s the H-Street, Mostro or Speedcat, these slimline styles stole the spotlight at Paris Fashion Week – turning the pavements into catwalks by day and prowling the streets and apartment afterparties by night. Spotted on industry insiders, models, and tastemakers alike, these silhouettes blend heritage with innovation – their origins as archival treasures making them a go-to for those in the know. As we stride into the rest of 2025, it’s clear that PUMA intend on leaving their competitors on the back paw, as they further cement their stance as leaders of the pack and set the pace for the next evolution of low-pro footwear.

For more on Fashion Week AW25, check out our with designer Willy Chavarria.

Credits:

• Concept and Art Direction: Sneaker Freaker
• Executive Producer and Casting: Julien Pegourier @jpeg.ourier
• Co-Producer: Remy Nino Auriel @ninozy_1
• Photographer: Sam Wong @samwongphoto_
• Digitech: Salome @salome.jpeg
• Photographer 1st Assistant: Kurt Lavastida @kurt_lavastida
• Photographer 2nd Assistant: Lil Watkin @Lilwatkin
• Hair and Make-up: Hicham Ababsa @hicham_ababsa
• Stylist: Oceana Henrique Tomé @oceana.ht
• Styling 1st Assistant: Charlenne Desautels @chaa.ds
• Talent: Paula @paula.gogola, Nicholas @Fowler_ekar, Kay @Kaymaruta, Josefina @Finasforzini, Ismael @scar4bless_, Hanna @hanna_zarhdani, Jade @Jadeopps, Simon @sim.6.n