PUMA JB FINAL BOOTS
When the 11th of July rolls around, the world will turn its attention to Johannesburg, South Africa where the 2010 Fifa World Cup Final will be taking place inside Soccer City. The 94,700 seater stadium known as ‘The Calabash’ (because of its African pot design inspiration) has been highly praised for its world class design and facilities. It is no wonder that Puma have created a boot inspired by this amazing stadium and its mosaic exterior. The boots even feature the GPRS co-ordinates of the iconic stadium printed on the inner.
The release of the Puma v1.10 and PowerCat 1.10 boots were met with much excitement and now their latest colourway, the aptly named ‘JB (Johannesburg) Final’ will undoubtedly catch the eye.
The new Puma PowerCat 1.10 JB Final
The new Puma V1.10 JB Final
PUMA TRICKS
Puma have launched their World Cup clourway. Nike recently released half Purple, half Orange ‘Elite Series’ boots while the full Adidas range is Black and ‘Sun’ (or Yellow). Now Puma have released the PowerCat 1.10 and V1.10; Tricks.
PowerCat 1.10 Tricks
V1.10 Tricks
Puma launched their African Unity kit a little while ago and now the kit is complete with these lava inspired boots. A black base is contrasted by strong Reds, Oranges and Yellows as Puma follows the earth’s side profile. Wearing the full kit will see you go from sky to mud and from mud to the core. The V1.10’s are especially eye-catching with their ‘lava cracks’ running across the top of the boot. They look like they could erupt any second and that is what Puma will be hoping for.
Puma Africa Unity kit:
NEW PUMA POWERCAT AND V1.10 COLOURWAYS
Puma have released two exciting new colourways. An eye-catching Yellow/Black PowerCat and classy looking Royal Blue/Silver/Black version of their v1.10 speed boots.
Yellow/Black Puma PowerCat 1.10 power boots:
Royal Blue/Silver/Black Puma v1.10 speed boots:
Unfortunately neither colourway will be available in South Africa.
PUMA V1.10 BOOTS AND GLOVES – WINNING AWARDS ON AND OFF THE FIELD
PUMA’s third generation of the v-Series Football concept boots and gloves, worn by some of the greatest players in the world including Samuel Eto’o and Gianluigi Buffon, has scooped a prestigious iF product design award 2010 in the Leisure/Lifestyle category.
The v1.10 boots and gloves, combining high-performance materials with an African-inspired design aesthetic, impressed the international jury who made the decision after judging almost 2,800 different entries.
The iF product design award, considered one of the most respected and recognised international product design awards, rated the v1.10 boots and gloves in a number of key criteria including design quality, choice of materials, degree of innovation, ergonomics and visualisation of intended use.
Filip Trulsson, Business Unit Manager for Teamsport at PUMA says, “The ever-increasing speed of the game calls for faster reactions and allows little time for the players to think about their moves. The v.10 series was developed to respond to this accelerated pace on the pitch and to trigger the players’ confidence to be their fastest.”
V1.10 Footwear
PUMA’s v1.10 football boot incorporates the most advanced technology available to date. The second generation of the uni-construction provides a better touch of the ball by having an updated, softer toe area. Further, the laces are covered in order to provide a clean kicking area, and the lightweight upper materials combine textiles with a soft, highly-abrasion resistant, lightweight micro-fibre that translates into a significantly better ball touch. At the same time, the carbon fibre plate in the outsole reduces the stud pressure and increases reactivity, while keeping the weight of the product down.
V1.10 GK Glove
The PUMA v1.10 GK Glove introduces the revolutionary ‘Pull and Fasten’ Speed Closure system that ensures a perfect fit across the backhand. Together with the anatomically positioned flex zones in the palm, this allows the glove to move in harmony with the hand. This new statement guard picks up on the Africa inspiration by introducing a new direct injected protective shell executed in the shape of an African war mask. Gianluigi Buffon will wear the gloves on pitch.
The iF Design Award will be presented to PUMA at a ceremony in Hanover on 2nd March 2010. All winners of the iF product design award can use the International Forum Design logo on packaging and marketing materials.
XI SERIES: PUMA
With so few players wearing Puma football boots in the Premier League, we were never going to be able to build a team for each style that Puma have released. We have therefore gone with an ‘All-Star’ Puma XI. The XI features King XL, V1.10 and the new PowerCat.
So who gets into The Right Winger’s dream Puma XI?
Strikers:
Nikolas Anelka’s career seemed to be slowly fading away as he fought for pride within a decent Bolton side before Chelsea came knocking. His partnership with Drogba has grown into one of the most deadly in the Premier League.
Peter Crouch has his fans and his haters. His lanky style is not everyone’s cup of tea. There is no doubting his ability however – especially when he has an England shirt on his back. We just wish he would bring back the robot!
Midfielders:
Michael Carrick is one of the most noticeable Puma wearers. A fixture in Manchester United’s midfield, Carrick has the ability to thread the ball through the smallest gap. A true pass-master who chips in with the odd goal.
Tomas Rosicky recently joined the Puma group and what a player he is. His best is still hidden below a lack of match fitness after being out for a lengthy period. His attacking brilliance was sorely missed at Arsenal.
Emmanuel Eboue epitomises who Puma is: strong, fast, determined, skillful and African. Africa is Puma’s second home and the Ivory Coast star feels right at home in his v1.10 boots. Comfortable both out-wide at right wing or right back.
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov. Don’t ask us to pronounce that but the young Russian is certainly making a name for himself on the Merseyside. A cracking goal against Manchester United showed just how seriously you should take his left foot.
Defenders:
Vedran Corluka has seldom missed a game for Spurs. The Croatian right back is solid on both attack and defense. Missing out on the World Cup will be a blow for us as we lose out on watching him and his fellow countrymen on African soil.
Nemanja Vidic is a powerhouse. Rumours are rife that he will be on his way come the summer. Whatever happens, Manchester United owe the big Serb a debt of thanks.
John Mensah hasn’t been a regular for Sunderland since his arrival on loan from Olympique Lyonnais. A calf injury and the African Cup of Nations have limited his chances for the Black Cats. When he is available his strength is a great asset for both Sunderland and Ghana’s defense.
Benoit Assou-Ekotto had to see off stiff competition from Gareth Bale for Spur’s left back position. He soon made it his own however and only the African Cup of Nations and an injury have kept him out of the side. He is smooth, calm and a great crosser.
Goal Keeper:
Shay Givan is probably the best piece of business Manchester City did. With so many high-profile players being brought in, Given was slightly less glamorous. The Irish keeper has consistently been one of the best in the Premier League however. He is a natural shot-stopper.
Who do you think should be part of Puma’s XI?
KEHINDE WILEY PAINTS AN AFRICAN PICTURE WITH PUMA
PUMA Commissions Contemporary Artist Kehinde Wiley for Portraits of African Football Players to Launch World Cup 2010 Campaign
To herald the start of a World Cup year and to celebrate PUMA’s long-standing partnership with African football (the Company sponsors 12 African teams, four of which have qualified for World Cup), PUMA has partnered with Kehinde Wiley, one of the world’s most sought-after artists, and commissioned him to create four original works of art inspired by three of football’s most decorated players. Wiley is best known for using contemporary African American men in poses taken from the annals of art history and for his distinctive use of elaborate, graphic and colorful wallpaper-like backgrounds.
PUMA-sponsored football stars; Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, John Mensah of Ghana and Emmanuel Eboué of Ivory Coast sat for Wiley as he painted three individual portraits of each player wearing their national team kits. A fourth ‘Unity’ Portrait was painted with all three players together, symbolizing the united countries of Africa. The players’ pose was inspired by a statue Wiley discovered while touring the Continent. In the ‘Unity’ Portrait, the players are wearing the PUMA Unity Kit, a limited edition uniform designed to be a third kit shared by all African teams, symbolizing unity. The brown pigment in the kit is a customized pantone PUMA created by mixing actual soil samples from four different African nations—Ghana, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire and Mozambique. The brown to blue color gradient represents the soil to the sky progression. In each portrait, Wiley captures the essence of each player using the rich heritage, customs and people of Africa as inspiration.
“PUMA is fortunate to have partnered with such a pivotal artist as Kehinde Wiley,” said Antonio Bertone, Chief Marketing Office, PUMA AG. “His keen eye for design, color and composition, brilliantly capture the spirit and passion of Africa – and the players he painted. His style perfectly complements the vibrant culture of modern Africa and the PUMA brand.”
The individual portraits, measuring 5 feet by 6 feet and the ‘Unity’ portrait measuring 9 feet by 12 feet, will be unveiled in January 2010. The portraits will then travel as an exhibition beginning in February to Paris, London, New York, Beijing and Milan, ending in South Africa in June for the World Cup.
PUMA, best known for the sponsorship of 12 African national football teams, is expanding its reach beyond the pitch by create African-inspired lifestyle products and artwork that is relevant and understandable to a younger generation in tandem with Wiley. To that end, Kehinde Wiley has also lent some of his unforgettable patterns to the PUMA Spring Summer 2010 PUMA Africa lifestyle collection of apparel, footwear and accessories. The PUMA Africa collection uses seven graphic patterns from Wiley’s existing work and integrates them throughout the bright, bold, color-blocking patterns of the collection. The collaboration between PUMA and Kehinde Wiley is part of a larger Africa-themed campaign PUMA is embarking on in advance of World Cup 2010, which will be held in South Africa in June.
Born in Los Angeles to an African American mother and a Nigerian father, Wiley describes his relationship with Africa as “one of searching and longing.” Kehinde, which means “second born of twins” in Yoruba, grew up without knowing his father and curiosity led him to Nigeria at the age of 20 to retrace his roots. Upon meeting his father, Wiley completed a series of portraits of him, and later, in 2007, returned to Africa to compile a body of work entitled “The World Stage: Africa Lagos-Dakar,” which was exhibited at the Studio Museum in Harlem. At age 32, he represents the African-American cultural explosion that has gripped the world. With an MFA from the esteemed Yale University School of Art, Kehinde Wiley’s work is sought after in major galleries around the world.
The Puma v1.10’s designed by Kehinde Wiley
PUMA’S LATEST RELEASES
Recently Puma have released a host of new colourways. There have been two new colourways of the v1.10 and yet another very classy version of their King XL boot.
First up a rather non eye-catching version of the v1.10:
Having initially released them in bright yellow and electric red a more subtle Black/Red/White combo seems very mild, yet very slick.
Unfortunately these won’t be coming into the county (South Africa). They will however appear in their Soft Ground form, retailing at R2,199:
The next incarnation of the v1.10 is a new K-Leather version. This will undoubtedly give you a great feel on your foot. They also look really smart in their White/Red finish. (Not available in SA)
The final pair released over the holiday period was a very classy pair of King XL’s. White/Gold seems to be a good colour combination at the moment and it pains me to say these will not reach our shores either. If you want to invest in a classic pair of touch boots these are what you are looking for. You don’t get much more ‘heritage’ than a King and everyone around you will feel like a pauper.
NEW PUMA V1.10 GOLD/RED/BLACK
Puma recently released their newest version of the v1.10 boot. It has been interesting to see which players have moved across to the new v1.10’s. Quite a few have chosen to stay with the v1.08, for example Peter Crouch. That may have something to do with the bright yellow colour of the original release.
Now Puma have brought out a Gold/Black/Red version. Still eye-catching, but maybe just a little more subtle than yellow. We may possibly be about to see Spurs’ lanky striker appear in v1.10’s. Watch out for this new colourway when Spurs face Liverpool on Sunday.
The new colourway has already been seen on a Premier League pitch. Aruna Dindane wore them for Portsmouth when they played West Ham.
The new colourway will retail in South Africa for R1999
AFRICAN INSPIRED PUMAS
A little while ago I wrote an article about a new pair of Puma v1.10s I had heard rumored for release.
Well they are here now:
PUMA’s new limited edition v1.10 Kehinde Wiley boot fuses the speed and passion of football
HERZOGENAURACH, GERMANY (November 24, 2009)PUMA today announced the release of a limited edition Kehinde Wiley performance football boot. In his second collaboration with PUMA, Kehinde Wiley has taken the V1.10 football boot and outfitted it with one of his signature graphic prints, inspired by the bold colours of Africa. This special edition boot comes on the heels of the Modern African lifestyle collection he recently designed with PUMA. Together, the product statements help set the stage for PUMA’s Global Football campaign that launched earlier in October this year leading up to and through the FIFA World Cup™ 2010 in South Africa.
Kehinde Wiley has gained worldwide acclaim as an artist for his portraits of famous African Americans depicted in classical poses and set against Wiley’s signature bold graphic backgrounds. These brilliantly-colored patterns have become Wiley’s calling card and are featured in the line of apparel, footwear and accessories that he recently designed for PUMA. Intensity and passion are two words synonymous with his creations; they also capture the spirit of what it is to be a football player and fan.
PUMA players Samuel Eto’o, John Mensah and Emmanuel Eboué will all wear this limited edition boot in their matches during the Champions League, starting December 9th and through their respective league games during the weekend of December 19/20th. All three players will sign their boots, which will be auctioned off in 2010 to benefit PUMA’s charity of choice for World Cup.
PUMA’s Limited Edition v1.10 Kehinde Wiley Boot not only makes a statement with the Wiley-designed graphic, but it delivers the most advanced technology available to date. The second generation of the Uni-construction provides a better touch of the ball by having an updated, softer toe area. The laces are covered in order to provide a clean kicking area, and the lightweight upper materials combine textiles with a soft, highly-abrasion-resistant, lightweight micro-fiber that translates into a significantly better ball touch. At the same time, the carbon fiber plate in the outsole reduces the stud pressure and increases reactivity, while keeping the weight of the product down. Form meets function in this statement product from PUMA that’s sure to be a collector’s item.
Only 302 pairs of PUMA’s Limited Edition v1.10 Kehinde Wiley Boot will be manufactured and each will be individually numbered. The boots will be available for sale at select retail locations. Information about retail locations carrying the performance boot is also available at www.pumafootball.com.
The new boots. Worn here by John Mensah, Emmanuel Eboue and Samuel Eto’o.
The man behind the design: Kehinde Wiley
PUMA GIVE TO AFRICA AND AFRICA GIVES TO PUMA
Puma have a very unique look about them as a brand. You can spot a pair of Puma shoes from a mile away! They have been very involved with sport too. They took Formula 1 by storm with their Ferrari inspired clothing and shoe ranges.
Now the world is focused on Africa. The World Cup is just around the corner and companies are sending new products out the door almost daily.
Puma have been building a relationship with Africa for years! They originally started with sponsoring Cameroon and now provide kit for 9 of the countries competing in the African Cup of Nations next year.
One of their most well recognized players is Samuel Eto’o. He has been at the heart of their advertising campaigns to promote the new Puma V1.10 speed boot.
These adverts all have African inspiration with rich colors and rugged beauty.
Rumor has it that Puma will stretch their African inspiration one step further with the possible release of an ‘African coloured’ boot.
Some people think football fever has hit Africa. I think that African fever has hit football!
We will be sure to keep you posted with any developments concerning these new V1.10s.