“Ladies, excuse my French,” A$AP Rocky Preps an intimate group inside Las Vegas’ Venetian HotelHe’s about to announce his goal in the. newly-appointed creative director for PUMA’s Formula 1 partnership. “I just want to let [my] nuts hang for a little bit,” He laughs. In a less explicit translation, Rocky’s At the helm of a multi-billion-dollar sportswear brand, as well as the most prestigious motor racing competition in the world, his objective is to demonstrate his ability as a designer. “change the game for fashion and [motorsports].”
Flacko’s Announcement of appointment in October, several months after
In The design process Rocky’s Agenda is clear “I want to press the reset button,” He says. “I want to show the alliance [between PUMA and Formula 1], and I want to show the strength of that.” He This muscle is flexed by interweaving notes of performance sportswear and classic streetwear forms: In his debut collection, baggy denims are modified with embedded velcro straps and airbrushed illustrations, while long-sleeved shirts with tire marks and flames feature attached gloves. Balaclavas, which are reminiscent of those worn by the RAF, also include attached gloves. Formula Drivers under their helmets appear to be in a state of distress. It’s This clever categorical fusion makes Rocky’s His designs are new in the racing-style genre but his desire to focus street culture on the forefront is what makes them so unique. Formula One stage that is truly “resets” The conversation around motorsports, fashion and style.
“Car culture has always been prevalent in hip-hop. It has always been a part of me,” The following is a list of words that begin with the word “you” Rocky. Growing Up in HarlemHe was not exposed Formula He was not allowed to drive a racecar on any of the multi-million dollar tracks in his neighborhood, but he did enjoy the status that came with it. “lifestyle.” “Teenagers, rappers, the street guys — they would drop money on vintage BMWs and different glamorous, flashy cars,” He says. “I remember seeing a Ferrari that some drug dealer bought back in the day. It was in the middle of the ghetto, and it looked like a centerpiece, like an exhibition.”
Puma
Puma
CarsLike custom iced out jewelry, they often form a part of the rapper’s personality. In the mainstream auto space — particularly in arenas like Formula 1, where there is a significant lack of diversity — Rocky The absence of street culture is a major concern. “I don’t see the hip-hop side of car culture glorified or displayed,” He says. “I want to make it more prevalent in this role. I would like to see a lot more of that, what I grew up on.”
While Rocky has only put out one capsule thus far, it’s evident that he looks to accomplish this goal by leaning heavily into hip-hop’s streetwear codes — bold graphics, oversized silhouettes and vivid color stories — and by more closely aligning the brand’s visuals and video content with those of the rap genre. “This [type of fashion-motorsports partnership] hasn’t been done like this before,” He says. “So we can really disrupt it.”
He Calls for collaboration “playful,” But he is very careful to avoid anything too kitschy. “If somebody’s too tacky in my presence, I’ve just got to turn away,” He explains. For RockyThe creative ideas are easy to come up with, but articulating them can be a real challenge. “It’s because I have a weird way of processing things,” He says. “[The design team] looks at me like I’m crazy, but they’re receptive.”
Puma
Puma
Looking By 2024 Rocky’s PUMA x Formula 1 will take its creations from race to race. The collections are inspired by the locations where they were launched and are rooted in his own experiences. While He is looking at the platform “street culture” Along with the most prestigious racing tracks in the world, he is also concerned about keeping prices at an acceptable level. “This isn’t too high-end,” He says. “We’re trying to figure out how to make elevated, premium designs that are still affordable and accessible to everybody.” For The price of the racing gloves, balaclavas and distressed hats that made up his first release ranged between $60 USD and $80 USD.
There It was noticeable that there were no shoes in Rocky’s Consider his first collection (and consider his powerhouse Partner Rihanna She is already reaping benefits from her own FENTY x PUMA A collab is a signature Flacko When asked if he’d expand into this category, he didn’t hesitate to tease what’s coming: “I’m very excited to [work on shoes with PUMA],” He confirmed. And As for the future of our partnership, Rocky Three foreshadowing letters are available: “F. U. N.”