“These brands are beginning to percolate” — Not Walt Frazier.
by Chris O’Leary/@olearychris
Walt Frazier might call it a union between collaborators and innovators. Or maybe cool fashion and brand mashin’. How about off the map in all caps?
Whatever you want to call it, the work that PUMA and UNDFTD is doing will be on store shelves and on the feet of sneakerheads throughout 2011. The Undefeated (UNDFTD) Collection will be focus on the PUMA Clyde — the sneak that Walt Frazier wore in his playing days with the Knicks — and will hit retail outlets in April, PUMA said in a release on Friday (Check CounterKicks for the full release).
The Clyde pictured below, via myairshoes.com, is just for reference. It’s not a part of the upcoming UNDFTD releases. PUMA and UNDFTD will be in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day for an exclusive consumer launch event at the House of Blues, with N.E.R.D. See the poster for the event at the bottom of the post.
Some highlights from the release are below:
The first release from the collection will be on April 10th followed by another release on June 10th, and many more throughout 2011 and beyond. Consumers can expect to see clean lines and a unique exploration of materials and textures.
“Undefeated pushes the envelope and is a leader in starting and spotting new trends throughout the sneaker and lifestyle community,” said Jay Piccola, President of PUMA North America. “This partnership allows us to apply these influences to the most significant shoe in PUMA’s archive, the PUMA Clyde, and make it new, fresh and appealing to a whole new set of consumers that we know will adore each and every style.”
The PUMA Clyde was chosen for this project not only for its significance to the PUMA brand, but also to sneaker history and pop culture. Customized for basketball great and current announcer for The New York Knicks Walt “Clyde” Frazier in 1973, the Clyde was the first signature basketball shoe. Built on performance and style, it immediately became a mainstay on the court and on the street. As a statement shoe, it was part of the uniform for cultural artists – DJs, b-boys, musicians and graffiti artists. With its clean and classic styling, the PUMA Clyde continues to be on-trend today.
For nearly 10 years Undefeated has been the unofficial voice for the next generation. With storefronts in Hollywood, Silverlake and Santa Monica, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Shizuoka and Tokyo, Japan they are globally recognized as a leader in streetwear and fashion trends. PUMA and Undefeated first collaborated on a limited edition pack of PUMA Mids that were released in January 2009. The shoes were well received throughout the sneaker community and soon became a sought after style by collectors and style-conscious men and women. This first project helped to lay the groundwork for the new Clyde Collection design partnership.
Read the SLAMonline Discussion Rules before posting.