It’s often that we see sportswear brands collaborating with high luxury labels (i.e. Nike x Louis Vuitton, Gucci x adidas). Though for this year’s grand return to New York Fashion Week, PUMA took center stage solo with its own in-house production.
On the evening of September 13th, PUMA presented FUTROGRADE, its first NYFW event since 2017. Led and curated by creative director June Ambrose, the immersive runway show showcased looks from various collections, each highlighting PUMA’s Forever Faster spirit. Models strutted down Cipriani 25 Broadway’s Great Hall wearing pieces from:
• Downtown: PUMA’s premium execution streetwear, with a focus on sustainability
• Luxe Sport: A sophisticated reinvention of streetwear, with exaggerated dimensions, reinterpreted branding, and unexpected elements.
• Player’s Lounge: A reimagining of football aesthetics, celebrating fan styling and authentic, elevated materials.
• PUMA Tech: A technical streetwear collection made sustainably with visible functionality and a tech-style aesthetic.
• Uptown: Range of products that utilize premium fabrics and executions to create a curated streetwear look.
The show also featured collaborative collections. Teaming up with AC Milan, PUMA presented sporty pieces celebrating Paninari subculture. Taking inspiration from the idea of a pre-game runway, PUMA and Dapper Dan combined sport heritage with exquisite tailoring. June Ambrose herself also debuted her own co-branded collection with PUMA, titled “Keeping Score,” which delivers elevated sportswear pieces inspired by PUMA’s extensive archive. Other collaborations showcased include collections with Palamo Spain and Paris-based label Koché.
FUTROGRADE was a star-studded event, as elite athletes like Usain Bolt and Kyle Kuzma took to the runway alongside the likes of Winnie Harlow and Davido. Skepta was the show’s featured musical performer.
PUMA also unveiled its new Web3 experience titled Black Station. NFTs of upcoming sneaker styles, the 3-D Nitro NFRNO and Nitro Fastroid, were integrated into the show through digital avatars of soccer superstar Neymar Jr. and basketball icon Skylar Diggins-Smith, who were 3D scanned prior to the show. To check out the the ‘Black Station’ experience, visit blackstation.puma.com.
Check out all of the runway looks from PUMA FUTROGRADE below:
Photos: Dan Lecca/PUMA