For Puma’s 50th anniversary of The Suedes, the German company met its match in a collaboration with fellow iconic feline Hello Kitty.
The limited-edition sneakers come in red and feature a pattern of Hello Kitty and her milk jar against a white colorway.
Gold sparkles subtly in details such as the Puma logo and flecks on the white sole. The cherry on top? Hello Kitty’s timeless red bow on the crisp white bottom.
The collection also includes a T-shirt, hoodie, pants, hat, backpack, and sports bag, but as of its debut on February 8th, the collection is already in high demand and some items are sold out on both the Puma and Sanrio websites.
As a brand that has successfully extended its impact from athletic sportswear to fashion, Puma has developed a reputation for awesome collaborations and campaigns.
The Fenty x Puma creeper, which was voted Best Shoe of 2017 by Footwear News, came as the lovechild of Puma and Rihanna, who has continued to serve as Puma’s creative director of women’s collections.
For their part, Hello Kitty has been killing the game for ages. Her adorable likeness is no longer simply for plushies, stationery, and bedazzled decals.
The 54-year-old kitty has tangled with the top dogs in fashion and beauty from apparel/streetwear brands like Fila, Lazy Oaf, and Pinko to her own make-up collection with Color Pop.
Although Japanese company Sanrio created Hello Kitty in 1974 to appeal to preteen girls, many of the children who loved Hello Kitty have grown up, and their wallets have grown with them.
In addition, Hello Kitty continues to inspire new generations. Jill Koch, Sanrio’s senior vice president of brand management and marketing remarks that Hello Kitty “is so empowering because she can be anything you want her to be.”
The Puma x Hello Kitty collab comes at a time when nostalgia is booming in the fashion industry, as evidenced by recent ’80s and ’90s-inspired designs and collections such as Lisa Frank makeup and Disney collabs with Coach and Kiehl’s.
Within all the childhood throwbacks and playfully reimagined vintage icons, one thing is certain: both Puma and Hello Kitty continue to endure and grow, walking the line between classic and trendy.