“A puma prowls in the back of my memory”, announces the title of a Patrick Virelles novel. The Puma Suede, a basketball must, is a shoe that has kept on running down the court of time. It made its first appearance in 1968 on the feet of athlete Tommie Smith during the Olympics in Mexico. Smith went home a victor that day, both on and off the court as an emblem of a generation. The image of the champion with his fist raised high in the air against racial discrimination will forever remain in our collective memory. The Suede continues to transcend time, and was even readopted in the 80s by skaters and other so-called “bad kids”. It became and still remains a testament to counterculture, street style, and urban dance, with its graphic traits and R&B accents.
This year the brand is solidifying its roots in this tradition by releasing a re-edition of its favorite sneaker. 2013’s Re-Suede is the closest to the 68 Suede with its purified shape and further refined laces. The rubber on the sole is purposely aged, giving the same vintage effect that seems to be so popular these days. Positioning itself between the eternal and the here and now, it perfectly incarnates modernity. The choice to use synthetic, 100% recycled suede gives it a little green update. It also makes its mark with its colors, somewhere between originality and traditional, its combinations of convincing shades, and its refined laces. The Puma Suede is a timeless iconic object of the athletic world that effortlessly crosses over into urban life as well.
These qualities are backed up by rapper Youssoupha, newest musical muse for Puma. Youssoupha is also the brand ambassador for the new project PUMA THE QUEST (www.pumathequest.com), an artistic project launched in France that aims to promote urban dance and street culture through the creation of a dance group formed and trained by dancer Salah. The French are in for a captivating initiation into the underground dance world!
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