If You Buy One Sandal This Spring, Make It the New Fenty x Puma Cat Cleat Jelly Shoe
Stacia Datskovska
Senior Commerce Writer for WWD
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As of today, you can officially shop the new, much-anticipated Fenty x Puma collection, including its most exciting release: the Fenty x Puma Cat Cleat Jelly slide sandals. They’re joined by the Fenty x Puma Avanti LS sneakers in two neon-forward colorways, but we have a good feeling it will be the collection’s brand-new jelly slides — delivering a dose of ’90s cool with an on-trend silhouette — that will sell out first.
The Cat Cleat Jelly shoes (available in “Pumpkin Pie” orange and neon-yellow “Lime Sheen”) nod to the sporty outsole in their name, which comes as no surprise as the Avanti LS also took design direction from beloved Puma football cleats. A modern, trendy take on the kitten heel sandals dominating the market, these vibrant slides merge style and comfort, what with their supportive leather footbed.
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Further inspiration for the spanking-new slides includes ’90s-era jelly sandals (a love-it-or-hate-it nostalgic choice that has grown in popular in recent years) and minimalist thong sandals, which happens to be one of the biggest shoe trends in designer collections for spring 2025. During Paris Fashion Week last October, fashion houses from Miu Miu (with its neon-coded spin on the sling sandal) to Chloé (by way of its heeled jelly sandals in brown, blue, and pink) reworked the silhouette through more sporty interpretations and artful flourishes. Speaking of the sporty trend, this is undeniably one of the Cat Cleat Jelly shoes’ top identifying adjectives: also quite in line with what was presented on spring 2025 runways. There, a penchant for the athletic emerged via tracksuit-inspired zip-ups from Off-White; sequined swimsuits from Tory Burch; and sports jackets by various brands, adhering to the so-called “wrong-coat theory” by being worn in conjunction with much dressier items.
In the world of thong sandals and flip flop–adjacent footwear specifically, we’ve witnessed a ton of celebrities sporting this style, providing an abundance of inspiration for how one can wear the trending shoes. In years past, Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lawrence, and additional A-listers all donned The Row’s Beach Flip Flop in a more elevated leather iteration (not currently sold online). In a Feb. 24 Instagram post sharing snapshots of her 31st birthday celebrations, Dakota Fanning wore Saint Laurent’s Gippy Thong Sandal with a crinkled mini dress. Even as far back as 2022, thong sandals’ allure and trendiness was proven by celebrity wearers from Jenna Lyons (who used them to dress down a chic maxi skirt and blazer) and Kim Kardashian (who made them part of a model-off-duty, athleisure look) to Addison Rae (hers had metal accents which matched a metallic pedicure and retro cutoff shorts).
Rihanna’s partnership with Puma — by way of her cult-favorite Fenty empire — is not a new development in the least. Circa 2014, she was appointed creative director of Puma’s womenswear line and proceeded to ideate a shoe style that dazzled fans and was seen on many a celeb: none other than the Fenty Puma Creeper sneaker. In 2016, this shoe became one of the most sought-after sneaker models, to the point of crashing the brand’s website and selling out with every new drop by Puma (it also won FN’s Shoe of the Year award that year).
After a break, Rihanna returned to Puma again in 2023: since then releasing more top hits like the Fenty x Puma Avanti LS sneakers in black/white, “Puma Aged Silver,” as well as a royal blue and creamy vanilla hue mashup. In the context of the collaboration’s Mar. 2025 drop, however, the Avanti LS sneakers benefit from funkier, more Y2K-inspired colorways whose lightheartedness is perfect for summer styling.
Mark our words: The Cat Cleat Jelly sandals will be a fast favorite for women who are looking for footwear that elevates warm-weather basics, with a price tag that won’t break the bank.
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Meet the Author
Stacia Datskovska is a Senior Commerce Writer at WWD and FN. Previously, she worked at ELLE DECOR as an assistant digital editor, covering all things luxury, culture, and lifestyle through a design lens. Her bylines over the past five years have appeared in USA Today, Baltimore Sun, Teen Vogue, Boston Globe, Food & Wine, and more. Prior to joining ELLE DECOR, Datskovska learned the ins and outs of e-commerce at Mashable, where she tested products, covered tentpole sales events, and curated gift guide roundups. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and international relations. Datskovska regularly reports on new footwear collaborations and trending shoe styles.
