All sneakers brands are characterized by their iconic models. Today, let’s review the most legendary cuts of Adidas and Puma, by delving into the history of their creation.


/ATHLETIC LOOK WITH THE TIMELESS THREE STRIPED MODELS

© Luke Lentes

Stan Smith, Superstar, but also Forum, Profi or Pro model: the three striped sneaker brand counts more than one mythical silhouette.

Since the end of the 60s, the German brand specializes in sneakers dedicated to athletes, especially basketball players. The Adidas Profi is created in 1969. This model with a high cut is characterized by its lightness and materials. It is the first Adidas shoe using nubuck, a full-grain leather giving a velvet touch, considered original on the basketball courts at the time.

Adidas relaunched the Profi in the spotlight in 2012 in a limited edition. Following a wave of nostalgia from sneakerheads, the model fell back into the archives. In 2020, the brand marketed the Profi in two unique colors: white leather and black suede. We can find on each the same golden aluminum details, a thick rubber outsole and a perforated nose.



© Mathieu Pellerin

About twenty years after the creation of Profi, Adidas designed the Forum model. Born in 1984, it is part of the Adidas models intended for the practice of basketball. In its category, it is the first pair to be sold in three cuts: low, mid and high. Contrary to the classical Adidas Stan Smith, the Forum cuts bigger to ensure a comfort and an optimal performance on the court. In its high version, this sneaker is adorned with leather around the ankle, intended to relax over time to make the pair even more comfortable. The adjustable velcro strap is thought to bring support and stability to players.

In 1984, Michael Jordan set it up as an iconic silhouette of the eighties, by wearing them during the United-States Olympic Selections. Through history, many are the artists who contributed to the rebirth of this reference: Bad Bunny, Kerwin Frost or Jain.

At Flaneurz, the Adidas Profi in white leather and Adidas Forum White reinvent themselves into detachable roller skates and are to discover with the Ready-to-Roll and Change Your Shoes Collection.

/CALIFORNIAN TRIP WITH PUMA



© Anthony Finocchiaro

The brand with the jumping feline, founded in 1948, also positions itself on the market of sport shoes.

In 1983, Puma collaborated with the tennis player Guillaume Vilas, and launched its line of Puma California sneakers. The idea was to seduce tennis players with a comfortable pair ensuring the optimization of performance. Puma then adopted a specific manufacturing process: the California method, dating from the American Civil War.

At this time, women were working in factories replacing men who were at war. Lacking the necessary strength to manipulate the assemble machines, workers developed a handcrafted technique requiring only a sewing machine. Therefore, the shoe is composed of only two parts: the upper part of the sneaker and the sole. The top is worked upside down and sewed to the lining, then assembled to the sole.

More than a hundred years later, this manufacturing process was adopted by the shoe industry. Puma acquired a quilting machine to imitate this unique method of production in its modern version. The Puma California tennis shoes were a big success on clay courts before falling into oblivion to give way to other classical cuts such as the Puma Suede or Thunder.

The California line was reborn in 2019 with a modern look and a new muse: Selena Gomez. A new identity was formed: name shortened to “Puma Cali”, new designs adorned with a thick platform in the image of the 2010s trends and multiple colors. In recent years, the retro charm has seduced a good number of sneakerheads. The success of models such as the New Balance 550, the Adidas Forum and of course the multiple variations of Puma Cali can only prove it.



© Amaury Cibot

Finally, the Puma Carina, for its part, is a recent model born in 2019, whose ancestor is none other than the famous line of Puma California. We recognize the retro vintage look of the California, enhanced with a thick rubber sole. This exclusively feminine sneaker is also inspired by the mood of California coastal cities from the 1980s. The Carina are equipped with the Soft Foam+ technology at the level of the insole to bring flexibility, superior cushioning and maximal comfort.

The sneakers of the Cali collection have seduced the Flaneurz team since our our first collaboration with Puma. We thus imagined them as detachable roller skates to pace the city with style. Sobriety with the Puma Cali Kaki Beige or color festival with the Puma Cali Multicolore White ? The choice is yours. The Puma Carina are also available with the Ready-to-Roll and Change Your Shoes Collection offers.

Today, you have the opportunity to rediscover these mythical models. Thanks to the unique Flaneurz mechanical system, combine the retro look of this selection of sneakers with soft mobility.