PUMA RS-0: the History and Heritage behind PUMA’s Iconic Running Shoe

As one of the world’s most respected sports brands, PUMA constantly looks back to their own roots to inspire their current Sportstyle collections. For 2018, they’re taking cues from the past and moving into the future by completely rebooting the RS design. The original RS (short for Running System) was an innovative, high quality cushioning technology established in the 1980s as an answer to the demand for high-tech stability running models. Stripping the silhouette down to the basics and then building it up with a modern aesthetic and technical materials turns PUMA’s new RS-0 programme into a platform: every RS-0 design celebrates the reinvention of a unique moment or movement in culture. Call it future meets retro.

Originally released in 1986, the PUMA RS-100 was considered to be an advanced shoe for its time. With its textile and leather upper, padded collar, PUMA R-SYSTEM cushioning, and a rubber outsole, its primary directive was always going to be ‘comfort’. Shortly after the RS-100 released, PUMA followed it up with the RS Computer Shoe: the first-ever shoe to give runners the power of computing to aid in performance. A custom-designed computer chip built into the right heel automatically records the time, distance and calories used and then communicates the results once plugged into any Apple IIE, Commodore 64 of 128 or IBM PC computer. When you consider how long it can take to bring new footwear technology to market, there is no doubt that the RS was way ahead of its time. Following the success of the two R-SYSTEM models, the RS-350 was released in 1987. The RS-350 is an example of a streamlined ’80s running design, offering support in the midsole with additional rubber details on the heel.

For SS18, PUMA will kick off its RS stories of reinvention with the release of the RS-0 model, followed by modern retro iterations of the RS-100 and RS-350. PUMA has also partnered with influential and creative brands, individuals, and institutions, so watch this space for news on further RS-related projects and releases.

The revamped edition of the PUMA RS-0 is launching alongside modernised editions of the PUMA S-100 and the PUMA RS-350 on SATURDAY 14 APRIL: click the banner below to check out the release pages containing full stockist information.