[Update 30 Jul 2024] PUMA announced a new partnership with designer Salehe Bembury on 29 July 2024. This collaboration aims to redefine performance basketball footwear. Bembury, known for his innovative designs, praised PUMA’s commitment to change and growth, aligning with his own creative values. The designer will collaborate on basketball products and work alongside PUMA’s athletes, while continuing his work with other brands.

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[Update 19 Jul 2024] American footwear designer Salehe Bembury’s rumored PUMA collaboration has gained traction after a leaked image surfaced. The image features Bembury in what appears to be his first PUMA design, with rumors suggesting a Spring 2025 release.

Top-tier trailblazer and tastemaker Salehe Bembury shared a cryptic social media post teasing his next high-profile partnership. The image, captured on the tarmac beside a private jet, depicts a sign emblazoned with the words “TOP SECRET PUMA IDEAS”.

Bembury, renowned for his innovative designs and masterful storytelling through footwear, has fostered a loyal following. His past partnerships, most notably with New Balance (and Crocs), have consistently pushed boundaries and redefined expectations. This latest Instagram post has understandably sparked a wave of questions amongst his fans.

Concerns regarding Bembury’s ongoing commitment to the aforementioned New Balance were quickly quelled by the designer himself. Responding to a follower’s inquiry, he confidently asserted, “Much more” is to come from his long-standing partnership.

Further quashing concerns about juggling multiple brands, Bembury offered an enigmatic yet insightful response: “Sturdy contracts and sound communication.” This seemingly straightforward statement hints at a carefully constructed ecosystem within the design world, where collaboration and competition coexist.

Details surrounding the project with the German legacy brand remains undisclosed. Regardless, PUMA, known for their pedigree in athletics and progressive collaborations with the likes of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, seems a natural fit for Bembury’s design sensibilities.

Whether this translates into a groundbreaking collaboration or simply serves to further solidify his status as a design maverick, only time will tell. Stay tuned!

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