Marcel Wanders’ fame started with his iconic Knotted Chair, which he produced for Droog Design in 1996. He is now ubiquitous, designing for the biggest European contemporary design manufacturers like Cappellini, Bisazza, B&B Italia, Poliform, Moroso, Flos, Boffi, Droog Design and Moooi, of which he is founder and art director. His designs run from mass-produced objects to limited editions, from the Wanders Wonders collection, to interior and architectural projects. He was invited to be the guest editor of the International Design Yearbook 2005 and, in the same year, tried his hand in the hospitality business by realizing the highly acclaimed ‘Lute Suites’ – a series of seven apartments near Amsterdam. Wander’s work has been selected for all major design collections around the world.
“PUMA has a strong connection to changing culture and wants to stay close to cultural trends by being a leader at the same time,” said Marcel Wanders. “I love to find new areas for my creativity and create greater value for a larger audience. Although we are very different, we both believe we can create added value by inspiring our public in a seductive and creative way.”
The announcement was made at Design Boston 2006, Boston Design Center’s annual market for the architecture and design communities. The Marcel Wanders PUMA collection will be unveiled during Tokyo Design Week on October 31, 2006 and then in New York and Amsterdam in November. The collection will be available globally in all PUMA Stores and select retail partners in Spring 2007.
Bjørn Gulden, CEO of PUMA says: “Time makes or breaks athletes, which is why the right partner for watches and wearables is particularly critical to our brand. We are pleased to team up with Fossil Group, whose strong focus on innovation will help us make products that fit the needs of our consumers and the world’s fastest athletes.”
“PUMA is one of the world’s leading sports brands. We are excited to partner with them and bring our world class design and distribution capabilities to the PUMA watch collection,” said Kosta Kartsotis, CEO of Fossil Group.
The new products will be available, amongst others, through select department stores, specialty retailers and e-commerce channels in Fossil Group’s extensive global network.
PUMA's previous collaboration for PUMA watches with MYWA Swiss Watch & Jewelry ltd ended in December 2016.
Photo Credits: Conné/ PUMA“There’s a saying that goes - ‘style is a way of saying who you are without having to speak’, that’s exactly what we have worked towards with the ‘Hometown Heroes’ collection,” said Mike Camargo. “When you walk outside, what’s the first thing you notice on someone? Is it their clothes? Do you make eye contact…? It’s always the hat. We only wear things that represent us. Our clothes are an extension of who we are. I grew up in Brooklyn and New York City; and my creativity is fuelled by the energy from the streets and the people that live and breathe their hometown - this collection pays tribute to that. What we wear is chosen meticulously; because when we step outside, we want you to know what we stand for!”
PUMA Head of Design Accessories, Sara Rosina said, “The attention to detail that has gone into this new collection is extremely exciting. From the references in the main graphics, to the hidden messages under the visor and even a set of pins, which fans can use to customise their headwear to their personal style. We really wanted to push the boundaries and explore different ways creating products that tell unique and personal stories.”
The Hometown Heroes collection will be supported by PUMA’s own incredible lineup of Hometown Heroes, namely Brazilian football sensation Neymar Jr, U.S. football player Christian Pulisic, Puerto Rican multi-platinum selling music artist Myke Towers, and American professional basketball player Kyle Kuzma.
The debut Hometown Heroes headwear collection will launch on May 18th at the PUMA NYC flagship store and on PUMA.com. This will be the first of four Hometown Heroes launches coming later this year.
The PUMA Players’ Lounge collection is available starting October 1st, 2022 from PUMA.com and select retailers with retail prices ranging from 40 to 140 Euros.