Puma to make a physical and digital comeback at New York Fashion Week

By

Olivier Guyot

Translated by
Roberta HERRERA

Published
Jun 29, 2022

Puma is looking to consolidate its presence in the United States. The sportswear brand, which is sponsored by a number of famous muses, is set to boost its growth overseas by staging a show at New York Fashion Week. This represents a comeback for the brand, which in 2016 presented its collaboration with Rihanna for Fenty in the Big Apple.

The show will be held on September 13 and will once again feature a number of collaborations such as those with Dapper Dan, Palomo or with Koché for the Italian soccer club AC Milan. The event will also be taking place in the virtual realm. This decision comes as no surprise since Puma is currently increasing its involvement in the metaverse and web3, having for example launched a space on the gaming platform Roblox, and more recently entered into a partnership with 10KTF, a shop in the metaverse that sells virtual streetwear products.

"We are thrilled to be collaborating with the CFDA and to be back on the official NYFW calendar," said Adam Petrick, global director of brand and marketing at Puma. "Returning to fashion week for the first time in several years is significant for us because we knew we needed the right combination of factors to be present. With an emphasis on digital, a great lineup of ambassadors and an amazing creative partner in June Ambrose, the foundation and creativity for a great show are there. And we're excited that this can be the moment for us to bring it to life."  

Puma is planning to present a portion of its Fall/Winter 2022 collection, including products that can be immediately purchased, along with its new items for Spring/Summer 2023. Creative director June Ambrose, who is close to artist/entrepreneur Jay-Z (president of basketball operations at Puma) and who took office in 2020, will be in charge of the creative side of the show.

"My life and work have been rooted in street-culture and the development of the relationship between urban and industrial aesthetics. When I entered the business four decades ago, my mission was to influence generations of people who dream of being visible. It's this perspective that I bring to Puma and reflects my mindset when I curate the Futurograde show," explained the American designer. "I want to connect the emotional narrative of our lives to the show, through the cyclical nature of fashion. I'm excited to see how the audience perceives the way we present the idea of a 'classic forward-looking', tapping into nostalgia and reimagining it for the future. I want this concept to challenge the audience to be creative in their present, while imagining the future."

Puma has partnered with Future to develop the digital side of this experience. Future's task is to create an original, multi-layered experience that integrates cultural, musical and sport elements. The project has been entrusted to David Stamatis, Future's executive director. Puma's approach and the way it integrates its collaborations, but more importantly its muses, and the business transformation that this may entail will, of course, be under close scrutiny next September.