Are Pharrell Williams and Louis Vuitton Biting the PUMA GV Special?

Pharrell Williams’ debut Louis Vuitton collection lit-up Paris Fashion Week on June 20, the sartorial tour de force leaving its star-studded guests reeling on the Pont Neuf bridge. Of course, social media was quick to sound-off, praising the monumental moment and catalogue fulcrums like the ‘Damouflage’, which took LV’s iconic Damier print and transformed it into a glitch camo.

The repartee between sneakerheads, however, was below the ankles – and a little more ‘colourful’. Footwear pundits were quick to point out the stark similarities between Louis Vuitton’s latest low-top trainer – what looks to be a modified version of the LV Mini Lin sneaker – and a classic from PUMA’s archival catalogue: the GV Special. Obviously, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but there was no subtlety here, with chunky midsoles and formstrip-esque laterals immediately triggering nostalgic memories of the 1970s Big Cat classic.

In fact for many, the homage to the retro trainers was the highlight of Louis Vuitton’s latest footwear catalogue. Rendered in crisp white, Wimbledon-like uppers, the debossed Louis Vuitton branding on the midsoles even echoes the GV Special’s signature branding. In terms of contrast, Pharrell opted for ultra thick laces emblematic of early 2000s skate shoes, whilst classic Damier monogram uppers replace the standard perforations typically seen in tennis shoes.

The GV Special entered centre court via Argentinian backhand bull Guillermo Vilas, a four-time Grand Slam champion. Nicknamed the Young Bull of the Pampas, Vilas was the first South American pro player to claim a Grand Slam, the clay court maestro grinding opponents down with his herculean left arm.

Obviously, the contemporary GV has been retooled with all the technological rigour of PUMA’s R&D team, with lightweight IMEVA midsoles and improved leather uppers giving modern audiences the edge. Still, old school aficionados will be pleased to learn that the vintage 70s aesthetics remain largely unchanged.

For more on the Big Cat, make sure to check out our interview with four-time WNBA All-Star Breanna Stewart.

Image credit [right]: Complex Sneakers