In today’s world, it is easy for people to take offense to anything. And when we mean anything, we mean ANYTHING! This includes shoes as the famous brand Puma found the hard way. Recently, Puma’s brand-new sneakers have gone viral not because of their quality or comfort, but rather their design.
According to sneakerheads online, the new Puma Storm Adrenaline sneakers share an uncanny similarity to former Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler. Sure, it’s a bit of a stretch, but once you see the silhouette, it’s hard not to notice.
The women’s designer trainers have a pretty simple design of black, white, and grey, yet the toe and tongue of the shoes are said to share a striking resemblance to the dictator. From his stupid hair and mustache, Puma really has managed to capture the infamous dictator in history.
The tongue and toe of the Puma’s Hitler sneakers (as they are now being referred to online) appear to display the outline of the iconic hairstyle and mustache of the former German dictator. First picked up by a Russian Twitter user, the comparison is making waves across the world. Not everyone is convinced it’s Hitler though. The Puma Storm Adrenaline sneakers have drawn comparisons from Edgar Allen Poe to No Country for Old Men’s Anton Chigurh.
People on social media have expressed their concern over Puma’s designers because of its history in Germany. Some people claimed their new sneaker design has an “eight out of ten on the Hitler scale.”
“That’s a good one,” the original person to notice wrote. “I never noticed. I used the shoe twice and never realized it until now. I have gotten rid of it. I’ve already sold it.”
“In Brazil, we like, and we buy Puma, and as customers, we would like you guys to say something,” the customer wrote.
“They do look somewhat similar. Publicity stunt, maybe,” another added.
“Adolf Hitler shoes? I did not see it directly. I think it’s a bit farfetched. Good, I have Adidas, not Puma.”
While you could definitely argue that the Puma Hitler resemblance is just an ill-fated coincidence, the sneaker historians amongst us may hear some familiar bells ringing.
Way back in the early part of the 20th century, Puma founder Rudolf Dassler and his brother Adolf famously supported the Nazi regime, even going so far as to secure membership to the Nazi Party. Their association with the party was a fruitful one.
The Nazis spent an enormous amount of sport, thus helping to make the Dasslers one of the richest families in Herzogenaurach. In fact, even the name of Puma’s latest addition is copping some flack, with users suggesting Storm Adrenaline is a reference to the Nazi paramilitary wing, the Sturmabteilung, which translates to Storm Detachment.
Whatever your opinion, you can’t help but feel this isn’t quite the attention-grabbing release Pumas was after. Decide for yourself.