The Puma Suede x Staple Gidra brings one of Puma’s most iconic silhouettes together with Jeff Staple for a collaboration rooted in history, culture, and community, all wrapped in a bold yellow-and-black colorway that immediately stands out on foot.
I’ve gone over the history of the Puma Suede on the blog before, but this collab gives the classic model a much deeper narrative layer. The shoe is inspired by Gidra, an influential Asian American student-run newspaper founded in 1969 in response to anti-Asian sentiment. Staple weaves that story directly into the design: a pigeon replaces the traditional Puma backtab logo on the left shoe, zigzag eyestays add visual tension, and Gidra dragon graphics appear on the tongue tag. The insoles feature graphics with Asian American community messaging alongside Staple’s pigeon branding, while a script message near the heel and co-branded pigeon detailing next to the Puma Suede text further reinforce the theme.
I’m a sucker for a yellow-and-black color combo, and these instantly gave me strong Game of Death Bruce Lee vibes. Getting a meaningful Staple collaboration on a Puma Suede for about $55 shipped felt like an easy win, especially since I didn’t already own any Jeff Staple collabs. Puma Suedes always look good on foot, and this one adds a lot of personality without feeling forced.
The shoes come in a special white, yellow, and black co-branded box featuring dragon artwork, with matching pigeon and Puma graphics on the interior paper. They’re laced with yellow laces out of the box and include a spare set of white laces.
Materials
The upper is primarily constructed from a smooth, high-quality suede that feels soft and appropriate for a collab like this. The Puma formstrip uses a textured, snakeskin-like “dragon skin” leather, which adds another layer of depth to the design. The materials aren’t ultra-luxury, but they’re solid, cohesive, and fit the story well.
Fit & Comfort
This pair fits exactly like other Puma Suedes I’ve worn—true to size with a classic, old-school feel. Comfort is basic and traditional underfoot, making them best suited for casual wear rather than all-day walking, but they’re perfectly fine for everyday rotation.
If these are sold out at different stores online, you can try looking for them on eBay.
Colorway: Fresh Pear / Sun Ray Yellow
Style Code: 391567-01
Retail Price: $100
Year of Release: 2023