Sneaker of the week: The PUMA x AHLUWALIA V-S1 brings football culture into contemporary fashion

Right now, the most relevant footwear silhouettes feel streamlined and sport-driven — closer to a performance boot than a chunky runner. 

Football aesthetics have fully crossed over from sport into fashion’s main character era. You see it in the return of low-profile sneakers, the dominance of technical sportswear, the rise of tunnel-fit styling, and the way vintage football jerseys have become wardrobe staples far beyond match day. The current mood is faster, slimmer, sharper, making the PUMA x Ahluwalia V-S1 feel perfectly timed.

Part of the broader PUMA x AHLUWALIA collaboration, the V-S1 takes cues from early-2000s football boots and transforms them into a contemporary lifestyle sneaker with genuine fashion credibility. The silhouette is lean and aerodynamic, with layered paneling, rounded lines, co-branded detailing, and a shape that feels engineered for movement. PUMA describes it as “a fresh take on ’00s-era football style,” while the wider collection blends “football references with vibrant colour, bold patterns, and tactile fabrics.”

ALSO READ: SNEAKER OF THE WEEK: The adidas Tokyo W SFTM is Leading the Post-Samba Era

As a whole, the collaboration carries a strong sense of cultural perspective, reflecting football’s influence far beyond the pitch. Ahluwalia — founded by British Indian-Nigerian designer Priya Ahluwalia — has built a reputation for combining fashion, identity, music, and sport through a distinctly multicultural lens.

Her work consistently references community and heritage without feeling forced or overly conceptual, which is probably why this collaboration feels culturally aligned rather than trend-chasing.

The sneaker arrives in two standout executions: a vibrant Archive Green-Yellow Sizzle-PUMA Black-Candy Apple colourway and a sleeker PUMA Black-PUMA Silver version. Both feel tuned into the current football-fashion crossover happening across luxury fashion, streetwear, and music culture right now.

As for how you wear it — the V-S1 is more adaptable than it looks. Relaxed tailoring with a visible sport undercurrent. Oversized outerwear balanced against a slimmer, sharper shoe. Loose denim, a crisp tee, and suddenly the sneaker becomes the whole outfit.

Push it into sport-luxe territory: slip dress, leather jacket, sport sock. It works because the silhouette is already doing the heavy lifting.

The PUMA x Ahluwalia V-S1 is now available via PUMA.com for R3599 

This article was not sponsored and contains no affiliate links. All opinions expressed are those of the editorial team.