In the 1990s, the Puma sneaker really became known as a lifestyle shoe, by launching a shoe that combines sport and lifestyle. The shoe was quickly picked up by fashion icons such as Madonna who wore them during her tour, setting a worldwide trend. The streets followed, and a sneaker culture was born. Other brands followed the trend and the Puma gradually disappeared from the streets.
Until Rihanna was named Puma's Global Ambassador in 2015 and serves as Puma Women's Creative Director, where she influences the product collections. She also works on designing and adapting classic Puma styles and creating new product lines. That was a good move. Her presence had an immediate effect and went way beyond the Fenty line, extending to the way Puma expresses its brand identity. Until today, the worldwide known singer has designed various collections, from Puma women's shoes, men's shoes, to clothing, and everything in between.
Bringing in Rihanna as an influencer was a great way to tap into (and shape) the female sneaker culture. Women in general were not very interested in sneakers, but Puma has proven that this kind of thinking is a mistake. That's why they didn't just stick with Rihanna, but also hired Kylie Jenner to design a shoe. And it's not just Rihanna and Kylie Jenner that they wanted to reach women with. Puma has invested in several female designers and influencers. Not only for designing, but also for various campaigns. Selena Gomez, Cara Delevinge, Sophia Webster, Sophia Chang and Careaux, among others, are also associated with the brand. And it doesn't stop there, because the German brand continues to put women in the spotlight, and we can't get enough of it. We can therefore safely say that Puma is here to stay, and has made a comeback.
