The Puma Avanti sneaker launches Sept. 15Rihanna for Fenty x Puma PUMA/DENNIS LEUPOLD
Rihanna has officially teamed up with Puma again for the launch of a new footwear line.
The multihyphenate revealed the Puma Avanti sneaker, which is part of a soccer-inspired collection, on Thursday for Footwear News’ September cover. “Football is a universal language that brings people together from all over the world, all walks of life, and I wanted to pay homage to that,” Rihanna told the publication.
In March, following the superstar’s highly anticipated return to the stage at the Super Bowl, Puma teased her return, writing on social media, “She’s back,” with Fenty and Puma’s logos side-by-side.
Rihanna initially teamed up with the company in 2015, serving as creative director and global ambassador. She later stepped back in 2017 to put her attention on growing her Fenty empire, including Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty.
As for this line, the superstar looked inside Puma’s 75-year vault and ultimately chose the Avanti because of its take on the King football boot, which Brazilian soccer star Pelé wore during his 1970 World Cup win. So, it only made sense for Rihanna to be drawn to the shoe as a longtime soccer fan herself.
“Digging into Puma’s archives is always incredible,” Rihanna recently told Vogue of her design process. “There is so much history and legacy here, and I wanted to honor that by paying tribute to the Avanti. [The King is] the shoe Pelé played in and made very famous, and I know people are looking forward to their return.”
The uni𝓈ℯ𝓍 sneaker, retailing for $160, will not only be available in all adult sizes but also in 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s sizes – something that was important for Rihanna. “We had to extend the line to kids so the whole family can be a part of this,” she told FN.
She also told Vogue that “coming back to Puma as a mom, in a new space, allowed for new perspectives and ideas.”