The Maison Margiela GATs remain one of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes since their debut in Spring 1999. Martin Margiela fell in love with this shoe during his time in Austria, and acquired numerous pairs for his SS99 Artisanal Haute Couture show.
The GATs, or German Army Trainers, were originally produced for the German military in the 1970s during the Cold War. The Bundeswehr commissioned these shoes from one of the Dassler’s companies as standard-issue, comfortable training footwear. Although the exact manufacturer is debated, records from the Bundeswehr Museum of Military History suggest Puma was involved in their production, despite Puma having no official documentation of this collaboration.
Margiela’s version of the GATs gave the classic silhouette a modern facelift with premium materials. The iconic white leather upper with grey suede panels and gum outsoles was introduced under Margiela’s Replica line and has since evolved with a variety of materials and finishes over the years.
This Japan-exclusive all-white GATs features unique hand-applied paint splatters, making each pair one of a kind. (Stamped with “Limited Edition” on the tongue.)
