Rihanna’s FENTY x Puma collaboration is back. The Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman has relaunched a football-inspired sneaker called The Avanti.
The new shoe is part of a multi-year partnership between the iconic football and fashion and beauty brands. The realliance follows the tremendous success of the Puma Creepers and Fenty slides that rocked the broader footwear and fashion markets in 2015.
FENTY x PUMA Avanti
The FENTY x Puma Avanti is a celebration of tradition and modernity. It marries the design of the iconic PUMA King football boot — worn by the likes of Maradona and Pele — with PUMA’s classic jogging shoe, Easy Rider. The two templates originally formed the Avanti, which PUMA launched in 2001.
The 2023 relaunch of the Avanti with Rihanna’s FENTY brand sees the kicks adopt two new colorways. The first takes on a classic black and white leather upper and old-school gum sole. FENTY splashes over the flap in gold. The second colorway inherits the silhouette with over silver chrome — shining bright like Rihanna.
“I wanted to bring something iconic from the archives to the street, and the late great Pelé made the Avanti shoe so iconic,” said Rihanna. The shoe collection retails for $170 and expects to launch on PUMA’S webstore mid-month.
More about the ever-popular 2015 Puma Creepers and Fenty slides
Rihanna famously dropped the Puma Creepers and Fenty slides to much acclaim back in 2015. The Creepers combined elements of traditional Puma designs with a punk-rock aesthetic, incorporating a thick, ridged rubber sole that gave the sneaker a distinctive, edgy look. Available in various colors and materials, from suede to patent leather, these shoes became a must-have item, influencing street style and high fashion.
Meanwhile, the Fenty Slides took a more casual approach, offering comfort without sacrificing style. These fur-lined rubber slides became instantly recognizable and were sported by celebrities and fashion influencers, contributing to their viral status.
The profound impact of the Puma/Fenty collaboration of Creepers and Slides boosted Puma’s sales but also influenced the broader footwear and fashion markets, making it one of the most iconic fashion collaborations of the decade. So it’s no surprise to see the trendsetters reunited again, this time with Rihanna as Creative Director of the alliance.
Photo: Instagram/Rihanna x Puma
