Sneaker Freaker X PUMA The Bunyip (Restock)
UPDATE: After disappearing back into the wild, our Puma Bunyip colab has mystically resurfaced at the Aberdeen-based Hanon store. Be snappy though, this is a .
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The legend of the Bunyip is deeply embedded within the Australian psyche. Clouded in layer upon layer of mystery and fog, this ‘evil spirit’ lurks in muddy billabongs, creeping out under cover of darkness to go bump in the night.
Renowned for possessing a rich baritone, the Bunyip’s crooning is said by those who have heard it to have an intoxicating effect, lulling victims into a giddy stupor. Survivors of Bunyip raids are rare but describe them as looking ‘like a walrus crossed with a dingo’. Others are sure they are six-feet tall with beefy arms, bad breath and strange necklaces made from wombat bones. Whatever the truth, the original source of the legend is credited to ancient mythology. In modern times, the Bunyip has collided with popular culture – the antipodean equivalent to the Yeti and Bigfoot.
When PUMA asked us to work on a project, we couldn’t resist the call of the Bunyip. After some wild ideas and false starts, we totally dismantled their Dallas model and radically reconstructed it to our own specs. Firstly, the element of sport has been eliminated, replaced with a leather midsole, much like a dress shoe. We also added a crepe rubber sole and topped it all off with premium ‘thick-cut’ goat suede. Lined with the softest natural leather in the animal kingdom, the Bunyip is an upmarket offering that can be worn year-round with or without socks. We have to thank the craftsmen at PUMA’s factory for their input and finesse – the overall shape and quality is beyond sublime.
Three long years and 1000 emails later, we are proud to finally announce the Bunyip’s long-awaited release. After such a long gestation period, we prevaricated for a second, but just knew this shoe was too good not to see the light of day. If you get the chance to observe the Bunyip up close, in its natural habitat, only then will you appreciate the majestic splendour of this exotic creature.