The best Puma shoes you can buy right now

Puma may be getting on – 74 years old, in case you’re wondering – but, thankfully, the German-based sportswear label still knows how to let loose. Playful with embellishments, innovative elements, colours and collaborations (Rick and Morty x Puma being our personal fave), a pair of Pumas is often just what the therapist ordered. They’re the kind of kicks that emphasise that our garb, especially our sneakers, should be just as fun as they are functional. But the sportswear label hasn’t always been one of sunshine and rainbows: back in '48, Puma was born from a brotherly feud.

How was Puma founded?

Rudolf Dassler, founder of Puma, was the brother of Adi Dassler, founder of adidas. Once upon a time, the Dassler brothers combined their skills, talents and intelligence to run a successful shoe company together – the ‘Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik’, or the ‘Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory’ – in their hometown of Herzogenaurach, Germany. Post-WWII, the brothers had a major falling out – a contention said to concern women and politics. Thereupon, Rudolf set up his own business on one side of Herzogenaurach’s Aurach river, and Adi established The Three Stripes on the other. Neither wasted any time getting started.

In January 1948, Rudolf Dassler set up the ‘Sportsschuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler (RUDA)’ and proceeded to transform a storage facility owned by his family into an operable factory. By June, he and his 14 employees had already commenced operations. And by December, he had settled on the name of Puma (a more memorable bit of branding, you must admit), registering it at the German Patent and Trademark Office. Miraculously, Rudolf also found time during ‘48 to launch the brand’s first football boot: the ATOM, a shoe that was pivotal to Puma’s early years.

In 1950, manifold members of the West German football team sported the Puma ATOM in their first post-war match. The team managed to beat Switzerland 1-0, which elicited curiosity about the brand within the European football scene. To keep up the momentum, Puma launched the SUPER ATOM – an enhanced version of the boot designed in collaboration with football experts such as Sepp Herberger, West Germany’s coach – just two years later. The shoe made history for being the first football boot to feature screw-in studs, which ultimately led to Puma being recognised as one of the major players in the sportswear industry.

What are the best Puma shoes you can buy?

Puma is a brand that isn’t afraid of change; it adapts and evolves to stay ahead of the curve. Hence, each Puma sneaker captures the zeitgeist of its era.

Below, we look at the 12 best Puma shoes you can buy right now, from old school classics such as the Puma Muenster and the Puma Suede, to new class silhouettes such as the Puma MB.01 and the Puma Wild Rider.