The PUMA GV Special Trainer Arrives in White & Red

The PUMA GV Special is an OG tennis trainer from the early 80s as famously worn by Guillermo Vilas & now arrives in an updated white & red colourway.

A lot of the classic trainers from the 1980s have one sport in common, tennis. Tennis trainers were absolutely massive in the 1980s and it was no surprise really considering the endorsement deals that the big sportswear companies had with the top tier tennis world. A melting pot of performance technology, centre court swagger & the colourful Casuals, there's not really been anything like it since. adidas, PUMA, Nike & Diadora all battled it out for the number 1 spot in the tennis world. Getting your trainers on the top seeded players was big business. adidas had Ivan Lendl, Diadora had Bjorn Borg, Nike had John McEnroe & Puma had Guillermo Vilas. In between there might have been some slight switches of allegiance but it was these tennis legends that would wear some of the very greatest tennis trainer of all time. The 1980s was, and still probably is, the most magical era in tennis toggery. If there was one specific PUMA trainer you had to name from this peacocking' period it would be the GV Special all day long. After its recent revival from the archives the GV Special now returns in an updated white & red colourway. Above: The PUMA GV Special trainer in white/red now available from 80s Casual Classics. Alongside other tennis legends like Ivan Lendl, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, Guillermo Vilas also dominated the Gram Slams during the late 70s and early 80s. As tennis athletes themselves became faster and more powerful, they demanded a new breed of shoe that could keep up with the fast pace racket sport. Although relatively simple when compared to modern day trainer technology, the court silhouettes of the era really pushed the boundaries of what was physically possible for a performance shoe at the time. It was the Argentinian tennis legend that really put PUMA on the map as far as tennis was concerned. Above: The PUMA GV Special trainer in white/red now available from 80s Casual Classics. The PUMA GV Special trainer marked the next generation of PUMA court shoes, quickly becoming one of the most sought after trainer styles among the Casual elite of the early 1980s. With its chunky PU sole unit and perforated toe box which other Casuals would eye up in awe. First released in 1983 at the height of 80s tennis fever and although Vilas' glory days were now some years behind him, his name on the elite tennis circuit still struck fear into his competition. Above: The PUMA GV Special trainer in white/red now available from 80s Casual Classics. After many OG PUMA fans had waited eagerly for another re-release, the GV Special was revived from the Herzogenaurach archives back in 2022. Following its initial re-release the GV Special now returns in an updated white & red colourway. Featuring some super clean white leather uppers with contrasting red formstrip & outsole for a super sporty retro feel. Other highlights include the signature perforations to the toe box, chunky midsole design & GV Special branding in gold foiling to the sidewalls. Shop the very latest PUMA revival releases now at 80s Casual Classics via the links above.