$1,090 Balenciaga x Puma Speedcat is a Distressed Take On Fashion’s Most Popular Sneaker

• Revives the iconic 1999 Speedcat with a fashion-forward reimagining
• Features cut-off PUMA Formstrip for deconstructed visual impact
• Destroyed Speedcat delivers a soft, sock-like upper feel
• Slip-on leather Speedcat variant offers minimalist, laceless styling
• Speedcat Ballerina hybrid blends motorsport and ballet flat aesthetics

The Puma Speedcat has taken over in the post-adidas Samba world. Now, fashion’s favourite shoe has been given the classic Balenciaga distressed treatment as part of the brand’s Winter 25 collection.

Renowned photographer Ari Versluis is behind the lens for this campaign that sees models Diede, Tianee, Brooks, Yav, and Joe style looks from the Balenciaga | PUMA collaboration alongside pieces from Winter 25 that include AUD$16,000 Robe and AUD$12,000 Leather Jacket. However, it’s the collaborative AUD$1,090 Balenciaga x Puma Speedcat that we’re focused on for this article and how it blends Balenciaga’s avant-garde fashion with PUMA’s heritage in high-performance sportswear.

Now available at Balenciaga Sydney – Westfield, Melbourne – Collins Street, Chadstone, Brisbane – Queens Plaza, and Auckland – Westfield Newmarket, this is one of the first collaborative releases since Demna’s final Spring 26 RTW collection for the brand. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this sneaker, so, well, controversial?!

It wouldn’t be a Balenciaga | PUMA collaboration without a pair of Speedcats. The sneaker has quickly become one of the most widely worn sneakers in fashion after the heat around the adidas Samba cooled. While they were originally quite difficult to find, especially in the sought-after “Kill Bill” colourway, the Speedcat can easily be found at retailers around Australia, including Puma, JD Sports, and HYPE DC, for a retail price of AUD$180 in a variety of colourways.

That’s a small price to pay compared to the Balenciaga | PUMA Speedcats, which retail for AUD$1,090 and feature a destroyed look that’s similar to the Balenciaga x adidas Stan Smith that released back in November 2022 to mixed reactions from sneakerheads and fashion experts.

Interestingly, compared to the AUD$180 Speedcats that you’ll find at your local shoe shop, the Balenciaga | PUMA Speedcats more closely resemble the original 1999 Speedcat with a slimmer toebox and outsole.

If the sneaker isn’t your style, maybe the laceless slip-on variant in supple leather is more your angle. Alternatively, the new Balenciaga | PUMA Ballerina is a hybrid sneaker-ballet flat crafted in satin.

Next to the PUMA sneakers, apparel is crafted using Balenciaga’s in-house savoir-faire and includes:

• Extra-dry molleton sweatsuits with lion crest emblems inspired by classic soccer warm-ups.
• Tracksuits in crisp and faded nylon with archival 1990s PUMA details.
• A trompe-l’œil suede bathrobe coat lined with brushed molleton.
• A shearling tracksuit jacket merges luxury textures with athletic silhouettes.

The collection also features hoodies, T-shirts, and shorts in fitted, medium, and oversized cuts, all featuring co-branded Balenciaga | PUMA graphics.

You’ll find the Balenciaga x Puma Speedcat at select Balenciaga stores globally and on balenciaga.com.