Fenty x PUMA returns with new Avanti sneaker

Remember. It all started in 2015 with a sneaker, the Creepers, which was later named Shoe of the Year. It was followed by other shoes and garments that could combine sportswear and fashion. Then everything came to a halt as Rihanna wanted to focus on other projects. But now the collaboration between Fenty and PUMA is resuming with a new sneaker, the Avanti.

Rihanna's love of football and the great influence of the sport off the pitch served as the starting point. The result is a kind of hybrid that combines two Puma icons: the King football boot worn by icons like Eusebio, Pelé and Maradona, and the sole of the Easy Rider running shoe. The first to merge the two styles, inspiring the Avanti from PUMA in 2001, was Jil Sander with the Jil Sander King. Now the model gets a makeover, reinterpreted from Rihanna's aesthetic thanks to elements like soft vintage leather, a fold-over tongue with the FENTY logo and gold foil embossing PUMA CAT. The rubber sole and leather footbed pay homage to PUMA's football heritage. In addition to the black and white version, there is also a chrome version with lasered logos and chrome leather detailing, perfectly echoing the metallic trend suggested by leading designers in recent collections. 

"I wanted to bring something iconic from the archives to the street, and the great Pele really made the Avanti shoe iconic," says Rihanna. "We spent time together opening the archives of PUMA and finding the right product for Rihanna. The Avanti is a PUMA classic with a unique and iconic take on the stands. I'm very excited to see this project come to life and even more excited to see what the next few years have in store for us." Maria Valdes, PUMA's Chief Product Officer, confirmed that Avanti will be the first in a series of new products to emerge from the renewed collaboration between PUMA and Fenty.

The Avanti Fenty x PUMA is available on puma.com and at select retailers in unisex adult and children's sizes. To showcase this first sneaker, which will be followed by a second in autumn, Dennis Leupold shot an advertising campaign featuring Rihanna wearing the new sneaker in a set design inspired by the shape of a pentagon and the stitching of a football.