The Weeknd photographed during an exclusive shoot with Footwear News ahead of his footwear launch with Puma.
Derek Wood for Footwear News
The Weekend, just revealed that his first collaboration with German footwear manufacturer, Puma, will be launching August 24 and he thinks “people will like it.”
The “Starboy” singer, who first partnered with the brand back in November to join their celeb creative ambassador team, is now designing both shoes and apparel for his own line, titled “Parallel.” The collection will feature a range of high-top’s in bright white and olive hues and include wardrobe staples like t-shirts, denim jackets and pants.
Puma has recently expanded its presence in the celeb realm, tapping tastemakers like Rihanna, Big Sean, Kylie Jenner and now, The Weekend, to help market the brand to a more millennial-based audience, using these household names to boost sales 92% in Q2.
“The artists are not only extremely talented musicians and performers but show consistently that their creativity and passion can be applied to all sorts of areas in the art world,” Allison Giorgio, Puma’s senior director of North America brand and marketing told Footwear News. ”The same drive that pushes them to create music and experiences for their fans can be felt in the product collaborations they create with Puma.”
The 27-year-old singer, who is known for his elevated and diverse stage and street style, often sports designer labels like Saint Laurent, as well as more accessible retailers like H&M. “He’s stylish, but he’s also approachable. He’s relatable and has a look that can be worn by a lot of young men,” explained Adam Petrick, global director of brand and marketing at Puma. “It’s not over-the-top or unattainable.”
“I was involved in almost every aspect, but I was most focused on the silhouette. With XO and Puma, we really collaborated and worked on making the best product possible,” The Weeknd said, mentioning that he’d like to see everyone wearing the collection, including “the Pope and [Barack] Obama.”
This is just the beginning for the musician’s brand partnership. According to him, they are “already evolving in the next phase of our collaboration,” with Puma confirming that more drops will be released soon, with “exciting products coming in the spring.”
“The Puma shoe is a part of the ‘Starboy’ world,” The Weeknd explained. “It’s the shoe Starboy would wear.” The highly anticipated collection is set to launch August 24 at high-end retailers like Kith, The Webster and Barney’s for $220.