Puma Suede Croc 'Black White'
Colorway: Black/White · Style code: 384852-01 · Release date: June 22, 2022 · Price: $121 · Availability: Available now
Texture replaces colour on this pair. The Croc version embosses a reptile pattern into the upper, and Puma holds the palette to black and white so the pattern is the only thing asking for attention. It released on June 22, 2022 at 70 dollars, level with a plain pair, which makes the textured upper an unusually cheap point of difference.
Embossed patterns are a standard way to make a familiar shoe look new, and they suit some shapes better than others. This one has large, flat side panels, which gives the pattern room to be seen instead of breaking it across a seam every few centimetres. Black is the sensible base too, since the pattern is read through shadow rather than colour and a dark surface deepens those shadows. Against white trim the effect is graphic without being loud. The care routine differs from a plain pair: an embossed surface traps dust in its texture, so a soft brush comes out more often than it otherwise would.