Iconic Puma sneaker takes possession of Cape Town at Mostro Lab Immersive Experience – Texx and the City
Culture and community intersected at the MOSTRO Lab when the PUMA Mostro made a provocative appearance at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, to celebrate the iconic silhouette.
Named after the Italian word for monster, the sneaker debuted in 1999 and gained cult status with its bold, boundary-pushing design which expressed the spirit of the Y2K era.
Mostro gained renewed attention through an appearance at New York Fashion Week last year and at Paris Fashion Week in January 2025, and the tribe of contemporary converts continues to multiply thanks to special-edition releases and sought-after collaborations.
PUMA’s invite-only takeover of the Castle saw guests entering an immersive space where design elements created a visceral sense, like they had been swallowed into the bowels of a creature that is living, growing and reacting. The eerie, dystopian atmosphere combined with a clinical, experimental aesthetic ensured attendees were seized by the thrilling Mostroverse.
Markus Wormstorm, Ivan Turanjanin and Athi Maq delivered the soundtrack for this avant-garde
space where minimalism met tech, and the lines were blurred between retro and futuristic.
The psychological core of the creature was the startling Room of Refraction created by Cape Town artist Inka Kendzia. This MOSTRO MIND installation featured reactive lighting, laser projection and ambient audio, transforming the space into a living, thinking entity.
In the nearby Room of Reflection, guests could receive tooth gems in a space transformed into a futuristic dental lab, complete with a dentist chair, clinical lighting and staff dressed in lab- coats, surgical masks and gloves. This offered guests an unexpected souvenir – and a striking transformation that lasted beyond the event. As did the flash tattoos fashioned by the talented artists from Palm Black Tattoo studio.
The Castle’s historic water fountain was also transformed into a dramatic cinematic photo moment,
thanks to a combination of light-reflecting mirrors and thick, rolling smoke. Mostro tentacles emerged from this mist, holding up the Mostro logo – creating a powerful, branded backdrop for each highly shareable photo moment.
“The uniqueness of Mostro provided an ideal opportunity for PUMA to create an unforgettable experience merging sneaker culture with fashion and design,” said Brett Bellinger, PUMA South
Africa Marketing Director.
“The bold and attention grabbing Mostro appeals to trend enthusiasts Those creative expressionists who keep evolving, who like to keep their look current and are never afraid to stand out. These pioneers of play are innovators, unafraid to make bold, trend- setting style statements.”
The PUMA Mostro OG, Mostro Perf, UR Mostro, Mostro Leather, Mostro Fey and Mostro Boot are currently available at PUMA.com, PUMA retail stores, Shelflife, Archive, and Sneaker District at a retail price of R2399.
