Global icon Rihanna and PUMA have officially unveiled their latest franchise. Rihanna returns to the brand as the Creative Director of FENTY x PUMA, in a multi-year partnership with multiple product releases. The return of FENTY x PUMA combines PUMA’s deep history and heritage in sports with the music, culture, and fashion icon, Rihanna. FENTY x PUMA Avanti, the first footwear franchise of the partnership, is an unconventional blend of two PUMA icons, merging the high-quality leather design of the King football boot with the sole of the Easy Rider running shoe.
Rihanna and PUMA have a history of launching disruptive sporty fashion during their partnership, starting in 2015 with the iconic Creeper. Rihanna and PUMA released several footwear and clothing collections between 2015 and 2018, including the FENTY x PUMA Trainer and the FENTY x PUMA Fur Slide. With four fashion shows in New York and Paris, FENTY x PUMA served as a catalyst for PUMA’s impact and relevance over the past decade.
Rihanna’s love for football, coupled with the sport’s significant influence beyond the field, served as the starting point for the new release. Rihanna’s approach to this classic model paves the way for a new era of sporty fashion collaborations with PUMA.
Furthermore, it was important for both Rihanna and PUMA to ensure that this release was available for the whole family, delivering a collection that looks just as cool for kids as it does for their parents. Worn by legends and now recreated by Rihanna herself, the Avanti also comes as a unisex model for adults and children.
In 1968, the original PUMA King football boot was born, worn by icons like Pelé, Maradona, and Eusébio. In 1978, PUMA started a new franchise of running shoes that would eventually evolve into the PUMA Easy Rider. In 1998, Jil Sander and PUMA launched the first fashion collaboration blending these two styles through the Jil Sander King. This sneaker served as inspiration for the Avanti, which was later created by PUMA in 2001. Now, in 2023, Rihanna has added her personal touch and creative elements, from leather details to the sole, infusing her own vision into the PUMA classic.
“I wanted to bring something iconic from the archives to the streets, and the legendary Pelé made the Avanti so iconic,” Rihanna said.
“It was an exciting start to our partnership,” said Maria Valdes, PUMA’s Director of Products. “We spent time together digging into PUMA’s archive and identifying the right product that spoke to Rihanna. The Avanti is a PUMA classic with a unique and iconic viewpoint. I’m thrilled to see this project come to life and even more excited about what the next few years have in store,” she added.
FENTY x PUMA Avanti is a modern take on the vintage football trend, featuring a foldable tongue and FENTY and PUMA logos in gold leaf print. With a rubber sole and leather insole, the Avanti’s details pay homage to PUMA’s deep history and heritage in football. In addition to the black and white version, another chrome version with laser-engraved logos and chrome leather details completes the release.
As Creative Director, Rihanna’s first FENTY x PUMA campaign was photographed by Dennis Leupold in a setting inspired by the pentagon shape and the stitching of a football – featuring notable names including Rihanna herself, A$AP Nast, Pure, Felix Mallard, and two children.
