In honor of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Puma launched today its nostalgic “Mixtape” collection. The range was created in partnership with Roc Nation, Paper Planes co-founder Emory Jones and footwear designer Alexander John.
The collection, which also includes apparel, ranges in price from $35 to $130 and pays homage to the ever-important mixtape, a popular form of recorded music including a compilation of songs. Arguably the star of the collection is Puma’s RS-XL, which takes design inspiration from three thematic mixtape formats including cassettes, CDs and playlists.
An instant classic, the RS-XL “Disc” is inspired by the mixtape medium that fueled the hip-hop scene, featuring a yellow and cream colorway and loads of disc motifs on the uppers including “skip” and “search” buttons.
Going old school, the RS-XL “Cassette Tape” is a retro take on the DIY medium. The style is ready to play in a gray, white and red colorway, and comes equipped with wind-up cassette spools encapsulated in see-through paneling along with graphic printed uppers. In a similar vein, the Future Rider “Cassette Tape” and Suede “Cassette Tape” sneakers feature cassette tape references likened to their RS-XL counterpart along with whimsical cassette tape charms.
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The RS-XL “Playlist” encapsulates the feeling of crafting the perfect playlist in shade of white and blue. The sneakers include details from the digital age of music like scroll wheels and a download button.
Additionally, each shoe features an “LGT Tag,” an NFC-powered chip created by “phygital” product provider Legitimate, that scans to unlock a digital portal featuring exclusive content, weekly mixtape drops and unfettered access to life behind-the-scenes as a Roc Nation artist. In order to unlock each feature, users must tap their phone to the tongue of the RS-XL sneaker.
“This collaboration is the first time in history that brands of this caliber are leveraging next-generation technology to do more than just sell a product; collectively, we’re helping tell a story, elevate creators’ voices, and celebrate a movement that has captivated the world for half a century. We’re proud to be on the forefront of the intersection between culture and technology in such a meaningful way — and we’re just getting started,” Legitimate founder and CEO Calvin Chan said in a statement.
The collection is launching alongside a coordinating apparel pack that includes jackets, tees and shorts with bold graphics all inspired by a deep appreciation for music.
Puma’s Mixtape collection is available on today exclusively online and in-store at Foot Locker, Champs Sports and Champs Sports Canada.
About the Author:
Amina Ayoud is an Assistant Digital Editor for Footwear News, where she writes stories about everything from celebrity style to breaking fashion and shoe releases. Ayoud cultivated a love of all things fashion early in life thanks to a deep love of fashion history and the luxury industry. In her free time, Ayoud is a self-proclaimed fashion nerd and thriftaholic.
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