Puma – The Revitalized Contender
Jay-Z and PUMA CEO Bjoern Gulden at the company’s grand opening celebration for its new 5th Ave. Flagship store in NYC.
For the longest time Puma kept in the shadows, always a distant third behind Nike/Jordan and Adidas. Although Puma tended to have some of the best collaborations and names (Rihanna, Big Sean, Alexander McQueen), there was always something that almost seemed lacking. Then last year happened. After almost 20 years, Puma decided to get back into the basketball business. First order of business? Sign Walt “Clyde” Frazier. Not only was Clyde a Knicks legend (also the last time us Knicks fan even smelled a championship), but he was also the namesake for the famous Puma sneaker. From there we saw the additions of Deandre Ayton and Marvin Bagley III, two draft picks that in any other year would have jumped ship to Adidas or Nike. The icing on the cake? Jay-Z as their creative director.
Puma
This leads us somewhere, I promise. This week Puma opened their new flagship store on 5th avenue to not just fanfare, but an exclusive VIP event that rivaled any one thrown by it’s rivals. Jay-Z, Meg thee Stallion, RJ Barrett, Clyde Frazier, and more were there to celebrate the momentous occasion. This was not only an opening of a flagship, but it was Puma making sure we all know that they are here to stay.
Puma
