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Puma is reprising its partnership with the French luxury house Balmain to launch their second collaborative collection. The two brands will be reinventing their classic sneaker model, Balmain Court Basketball shoes, alongside an apparel collection.
The duo's latest collaboration comes after the two fashion labels previously launched a collection, which was inspired by the rough sport of boxing, alongside actress and model Cara Delevingne in 2019. Their latest lineup skillfully merges the rough esthetics of American basketball sport with the soft aesthetic of Parisian luxury heritage.
The collaborative collection is slated to be launched on the official e-commerce of Balmain and select flagship stores of the German label on February 18, 2023. The collaborative collection will also be launched on the official e-commerce site of Puma US on February 28, 2023.
The upcoming Puma x Balmain 2023 collaborative collection will reimagine the iconic Balmain Court basketball sneaker
The latest collaboration between the German global sportswear giant and the luxury fashion label has been designed under the expert vision of the Balmain's long-time creative director Olivier Rousteing.
The lineup has seemed unlikely at first, but upon a closer look, the duo's capsule is seen to be perfectly linking the world of basketball with luxury fashion. In an official press release, Olivier Rousteing comments upon the latest collab, saying:
"Back in 2019, I worked closely with the PUMA team on a boxing-inspired Balmain x PUMA and obviously, I loved creating that capsule—but for this second time around, I really wanted to set our focus on the thrills of basketball. Over here, we’re all big fans of le basket and French people are extremely dedicated to their favorite American teams."
He further shares the reason behind the unusual collaboration between basketball and luxury fashion vision, continuing:
"Plus, honestly, is there any group of athletes more fashionable than basketball players? So, I’ve long believed that a mix of Balmain’s modern Parisian luxury codes and b-ball emotion would make for the perfect combination—and I am very happy that PUMA has joined with me and my team to help prove that hypothesis.”
The highlight of the latest 2023 is the historic Balmain Court shoe from the Parisian luxury house. The retro basketball sneakers are transformed with a one-of-a-kind heel webbing technique and come in a specially customized shoe box.
The sneakers feature a golden Balmain tongue label, which adds a distinctive flair to the shoe's design. Together, the details tie up to form a luxury fashion-meets-sports blend.
The upper part of the shoe is constructed out of the finest Italian leather material. The technologically advanced materials of the sneakers, including the high-rebound ProFoam and high-abrasion rubber for multi-directional traction, are taken from the German sportswear label.
Alongside the basketball sneakers, the collection will also offer apparel pieces which include caps, tees, uniforms, varsity jackets, and more. Lastly, a collaborative makeover of the basketball shoe is added in black and gold hue. For the campaign, Nike and Balmain have tapped two pro basketball players, Kylie Kuzma and Skylar Diggins-Smith.
The limited-edition collection is slated to be released via the official website of Balmain and most regions of Puma's official website on February 18, 2023. A later release will be marked via the German label's official US website on February 28, 2023.
