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A$AP Rocky is staying active with his creative director role at PUMA. A new motorsport collection is on the way.
As reported by Hypebeast, the Harlem, New York, native is deep into his fashion bag this summer. This week, A$AP and Global Apparel announced a new drop that draws from racing but is just the right speed for everyday wear. Included in the collection is a two-piece sweatsuit, gloves, t-shirts and an update to the Inhale OG sneaker, which was originally released in 2000. The goal was to bring the flair of on-track performance, therefore, most of the pieces show some wear and tear. For instance the Padded Balaclava was designed to look like a standard racing helmet and features a removable visor and a bungee closure.
The self proclaimed Fashion Killa detailed his enthusiasm about the forthcoming drop in a formal statement. “This Miami collection aims to give fans the chance to have their own race suit from the helmet down to the shoes,“ said A$AP. “Other sports have uniforms available for the consumer and I wanted to bring that to the F1 category. For the visuals, I wanted to demonstrate how as adults we can lose sight of the dreams and imagination that we had as kids, and really love how it all came together.”
The collection is available beginning in the U.S. at 10 a.m. EST on May 3 on PUMA’s website. You can preview the collection here and view the promotional trailer below.
Puma recently announced a long-term partnership with A$AP Rocky, who will serve as creative director for the motorsport business category “with a focus on the intersection of the sport and streetwear,” according to a press release.
Puma announced its long-term partnership with F1 earlier this year, which makes the sportswear brand the exclusive licensee and trackside retailer at all races. As creative director of the partnership, Rocky will take on an incubator-style approach to begin creative exploration. For the rest of the year, he will impact the brand’s visuals and video content. His first campaign explores American car culture and its impact on streetwear and fashion. Later this year, he’ll drop an exclusive Puma x F1 apparel and accessories collection, serving as a sneak peek into a series of capsule collections next year in regards to high-visibility F1 races.
In 2024, Rocky will shift creative focus to several Grand Prix races beginning in Miami. He will curate activations at each race and serve as the creative director for all of the marketing efforts surrounding these collections, which he designed in partnership with the Puma and F1 teams.
By 2025, he’ll fully immerse himself into the holistic product creative designs for all of the Puma x F1 product, spanning from racewear to fanwear to fashion. He’ll continue participating in marketing in an ongoing effort to bring disruption to the category via innovative product design and marketing concepts.
“Working with brands as iconic as Puma, and as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring,” Rocky said in a press statement. “When the world sees what we’re doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brands approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.”
But the rapper is not the only one with business ties to Puma in his household. His partner Rihanna, with whom he shares two children, recently got back in her Puma bag as the shoe brand’s Fenty label creative director and unveiled her new “Avanti” sneaker design last month.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be working with A$AP Rocky,” said Maria Valdes, Puma’s chief product officer. “He’s incredibly talented, deeply thoughtful and invested in our brand. He will showcase his vision with elevated F1 race capsules globally, which attract new audiences and undoubtably disrupt the track. In the future, he will influence the broader Puma x F1 range and will continue to help push sport and culture forward.”
Adds Oliver Boden, head of licensing and gaming at F1: “This announcement marks an exciting milestone in our partnership with PUMA. A$AP Rocky’s creativity and commitment to innovation aligns perfectly with F1’s vision and development in apparel. We look forward to collaborating with him to design and curate the PUMA and F1 range and insert F1 into new cultural and lifestyle spaces.”
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Besides being a rapper and a father of two, with Rihanna, A$AP Rocky has a new job on his resume. The Harlem rapper has been named the creative director of Puma x F1.
Source: Puma / PUMA
Specifically, Pretty Flacko and the OG German sports company have entered into a creative partnership that will see him adding flavor to it motorsports business. The “Peso” rapper’s official title is Creative Director and he is tasked with guiding Puma’s partnership with Formula 1 (F1) and will be creating seasonal capsule collections.
As announced earlier in 2023, Puma is now the exclusive outfitter at all F1 races. Puma hopes Rocky’s tastes will bring more streetwear and fashion sensibility to their longterm partnership with F1. Rocky’s first campaign for Puma x F1 will spotlight American car culture and it’s influence on streetwear. Also, later this year there will be a limited Puma x F1 collection that will include apparel and accessories that will serve as a hint of all the multiple capsule collections set to drop in 2024. Part of next year’s initiatives are focusing on Grand Prix races, starting in Miami, and will include Rocky creating activations and marketing campaigns to promote the collections.
“Working with brands as iconic as PUMA, and as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring,” said A$AP Rocky in a statement. “When the world sees what we’re doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brand’s approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.”
Can’t say he ain’t confident. Also worth noting is that earlier this year Puma linked back up with Rihanna’s Fenty brand. So it’s a family affair.
Source: Puma / PUMA
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Besides dropping Hot 100 chart-topping hits, Dua Lipa has been busy in the fashion scene with everything from a collection with […]
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PUMA is one of the most respected athletic brands in the game and has a deep connection to Hip-Hop culture, and an ongoing collaboration with celebrated designer Rhuigi Villaseñor adds to that legacy. The two unveiled the third part of their capsule collection that honors the birthplace of Hip-Hop and its massive global influence on culture overall.
As Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary looms just ahead, PUMA and Rhuigi Villaseñor’s latest drop takes us back to the 1970s and the early days of Hip-Hop by honoring the b-boys, b-girls, and the city that never sleeps.
The collection boasts the T7 Track Top and Track Pants, both stylish and functional for those ready to hit the floor and show off some moves as only the best breakers can. Along with the top and pants are an array of graphic t-shirts and a customary bucket hat. Completing the set is the Suede BBOY, which brings everything in the capsule drop together in the best of ways.
For the campaign drop, New York’s W.A.F.F.L.E. dance crew modeled the designs, as seen in the images below. Pieces range from $40 to $185 and the capsule will officially drop on April 1 at PUMA.com, PUMA’s mobile app, PUMA NYC’s flagship store, and retail locations around the globe.
To keep up with all things PUMA, click here.
To keep up with Rhuigi Villaseñor, click here.
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Rihanna season continues. The expecting mother has announced that her PUMA x Fenty collaboration is coming back, and the culture is here for it.
As spotted on Hypebeast, the “Lift Me Up” songstress is back with the apparel company. On Wednesday, March 1, the brand took to social media to make the big reveal. The visual is a teaser that simply reads “She’s back,” with both the PUMA and Fenty logos placed below the copy. The caption on the post stated “Coming soon.” This marks the second time both entities have come to the table. Back in 2014 Rihanna signed on as PUMA’s Global Ambassador for women’s training and served as PUMA’s Women’s Creative Director.
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At the time of the original, deal RiRi expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity. “It’s great to find a brand that celebrates strength and individuality. I couldn’t think of a more perfect partner to collaborate with as a creative director. I’m excited for you to see what PUMA and I come up with” she said. Two years later, she aligned her Fenty label with PUMA and released her very popular Fenty PUMA Creeper sneaker.
At this time there is no set date for the release of the forthcoming PUMA x Fenty collection.
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Photo: Focus On Sport / Getty
Footwear News announced Monday (Nov. 21) that Dua Lipa will be the recipient of a new award at the upcoming 36th annual Footwear News Achievement Awards.
The pop star will be awarded the inaugural trophy for Collection of the Year along with her Puma collaborator Billy Walsh for her Puma x Dua Lipa Flutur Drop 2 collection. The awards, colloquially called the Shoe Oscars, are slated to take place Nov. 30 at Cipriani South Street in New York City.
“The second drop is inspired by rave culture and old-school rave posters,” Lipa said in a statement on Puma’s website about her sophomore line for the brand, which features her signature butterfly logo. “That’s where I drew inspiration as well on colorways and how I wanted things to look for this collection.” In addition to shoes, the collection also contains dresses, pants, gym bags, basketball shorts, bralettes and more.
Other winners to be honored at this year’s Footwear News Achievement Awards include Christian Louboutin (Lifetime Achievement Award), Kith (Retailer of the Year), Lululemon (Launch of the Year) and the late Virgil Abloh for his Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 (Shoe of the Year). Puma will also be recognized with the Sustainability Leadership Award at the ceremony.
On Sunday night, the pop star joined collaborator Elton John at Dodger Stadium for the final North American performance of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, along with fellow special guests Kiki Dee and Brandi Carlile. Dua and Elton performed their Billboard Hot 100 top 10 collaboration “Cold Heart” for the first time ever at the concert, which was livestreamed on Disney+.
Billboard and Footwear News are both owned by Penske Media Corporation.
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