P448 Launches Performance Court Shoes as Tennis, Pickleball and Padel Continue to Gain in Popularity

P448 is stepping into the performance footwear space with the launch of its new court sneakers.

Created in partnership with Vibram, the new Court sneaker from the Italian shoe brand is made for synthetic and indoor flooring for sports like tennis, pickleball and padel. The shoe features a high abrasion resistance Vibram rubber sole, patented foot cage for support, durable ripstop nylon and a memory foam insole.

For this launch, the new Court sneaker will be available in four colorways including army green/sand/orange combo, gunmetal/grey/blue combo, black/purple combo and black/white/lime combo. The latter two will also feature a matching graffiti-like pattern outsole.

Wayne Kulkin, executive chairman of P448 parent company StreetTrend LLC, said in a statement that expanding into performance shoes is all about taking the brand’s core fashion components and evolving them.

“At the end of the day, P448 is all about comfort to its customers,” Kulkin said. “We are excited to play more within this space and create compelling sports-driven sneakers to better enhance the wearer’s experience.”

The performance category is a new area of development within P448’s sneaker wheelhouse, the company said. More styles in the category are expected to launch in fall 2025 as the world of sports continue to increase in popularity.

To mark the launch of this new category, P448 will debut a new campaign starring Eleonore Tchakarova and Verginie Tchakarova, professional twin tennis players, sport influencers and models and founders of Wellness Wonderland.

What’s more, P448 hosted its first annual Padel Cup Tournament at the Ultra Padel Club in Miami, Fla. on March 10. Sneakers were provided for players, along with drinks and lite bites.

P448’s new Court sneaker, which retails for $298, will be available on its website on Monday, March 17.

This launch comes as court sports – especially pickleball – continue to grow in the U.S. For the third year in a row, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America in 2024, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).

Pickleball has grown 51.8 percent from 2022 to 2023, and 223.5 percent in three years, with every single age group seeing increased participation, the SFIA reported in November. While many have associated the sport with a higher age participation, the age group with the most participants, 2.3 million people, is actually the 25–34 age range. The sport added over 1 million children under the age of 18 from 2022 to 2023.