Fenty x Puma is officially back! The sportswear-meets-fashion label—a collaboration between Puma and the global superstar, who acts as the label’s creative director—has been on a hiatus since 2017, as Rihanna continues to build her Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty empires. But today, Rihanna unveiled their Fenty x Puma’s comeback: A new sneaker design, dubbed the Avanti. “It’s a bit of a family reunion,” Rihanna tells Vogue. “Coming back to Puma as a mom, in a new space, allowed for new perspectives and ideas.”
Fenty x Puma started back in 2015 with sneakers, so it’s only natural that the brand is getting back into the footwear game. The label launched with its iconic Creeper style, and went on to debut other successful shoes such as its bowed sneakers and faux-fur slide sandals. While the brand also eventually expanded into apparel—and hosted several buzzy New York Fashion Week presentations—the new Avanti release is a deliberate return to Fenty x Puma’s sneaker roots.
The Avanti sneaker—retailing at $160—is a hybrid style that combines Puma’s King football boot and Easy Rider running shoe. “Digging into Puma’s archives is always incredible,” Rihanna says of her 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 [Brazilian football player] Pelé played in and made very famous, and I know people are looking forward to their return.”
To make the sporty shoe feel more RiRi-ready, the star added thoughtful fashion details to elevate the overall silhouette. It features a vintage leather upper (in black and white, or statement silver), a foldable tongue, and gum sole. As a mother of two, Rihanna also made sure the style was available in children’s sizing too (they retail for $95 for preschool sizes, and $80 for infant). “This time around, we expanded our creations to kids, ’cause I selfishly want my boys in everything their dad and I wear or design,” says Rihanna.
If you want to get your hands on them, the sneakers will be available worldwide on Puma.com come September 15. A second Avanti drop will also happen sometime this fall, and the label has several more product launches coming up, too. Mark those calendars!
This article was originally published on Vogue.com.
