The Puma Mostro Is Overdue for a Monster Comeback
The 90s and early aughts were easily the most defining eras in sneaker and streetwear history. Packed full of experimental designs and boundary-pushing technological advancements, it's not hard to understand why the Y2K renaissance is in full swing. Brands are looking through their archives to find the ultimate 90s comeback sneaker, and while others may still be on the hunt, we’ve already found it.
An oddly-fashionable Frankenstein’s monster (the name even means ‘monster’ in Italian), the Mostro is perfectly poised to make this year its own. Despite being an avant-garde model by anyone’s standards, the Mostro was a huge success and one of the Big Cat’s best-sellers from the Y2K era. As early-aughts styles continue to seep back into the sneakersphere, the Mostro continues to resonate with the industry’s finest, so here’s what you need to know about it.
Born in 1999, the Mostro was the result of a marriage between two sports that would have never normally met. Half 1960s sprint spike and half 80s surf shoe, it featured a striking dimpled rubber sole and an asymmetrical velcro closure. It also came in a variety of fabric make-ups – mesh and leather versions were common, but ripstop, linen, suede and perforated leather versions also dropped over the years. Ultimately, the Mostro was born to be experimental – it really could be made from anything, as its unusual combination of influences left its functionality to the imagination. However, it was this era of PUMA sneakers in particular that set the brand apart. The Mostro allowed the Big Cat to leap into fashion circles, whereas other sneaker brands were still gearing sneakers primarily towards sports.
As the brand continued to make an impact with the statement style, the Mostro ended up catching the attention of some of the industry’s most iconic figures. It blew up worldwide after Madonna was spotted wearing them during her 2001 Drowned world tour, and Icelandic singer-songwriter sensation Bjork was also known to be a fan. In 2005, the shoe starred alongside Scarlett Johansson and Ewan McGregor in the movie The Island, which once again widened its cultural appeal. Fast forward to today, and the Mostro is still dripping with star power. Just recently, flexed a pair over on Instagram, and stepped out in them while on creative director duties at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Mostro even took to the runway twice this year – models at Paolina Russo’s Spring 2024 show sported the shoe, and PUMA also lined the style up for a colab with Berlin-based luxury label . The result of the Ottolinger colab was a strappy, Y2K-coded, high-fashion take on the Mostro Boot, which served to remind the crowd just how much of a titan the mighty Mostro could be.
Fashion fans have been busy scouring the archive sneaker market to get their hands on the OG Mostro as they look to get ahead of the trend – but we bring good news: it looks like the style is gearing up for its comeback. The pairs that Rocky and Skepta have been rocking are actually brand new, and posts from the have teased early looks at a bright pink iteration accompanied by the caption ‘Mostro 2024’.
While there’s no release date set at present, you can be sure that when the PUMA Mostro is ready to return, its effect will be monstrous.