Lights out and away we go: A$AP Rocky’s debut as Puma x F1’s creative director is here

THREE WEEKS after A$AP Rocky’s new role as PUMA’s Formula 1 creative director was announced, rap’s most stylish man has finally revealed an extended look at his debut drop. Arriving two days before the Las Vegas Grand Prix, this is the first in a series of an undisclosed number of capsule collections that are expected to be rolled out over the next season. The partnership, which emerged out of a multi-year deal between Formula 1 and the German sportswear giant earlier this year, is part of a wider push within Formula 1 to find new ways to connect with its ever-expanding, youthful fanbase. It will see the Grammy-nominated artist, multidiscipline creative, and designer lead PUMA’s expanding engagement with Formula 1, aiming to bring together motorsport and streetwear, spanning footwear, clothing and accessories (It’ll be sold at select race weekends around the world), but will also see him oversee visual campaigns, activations and creative engagements.
By 2025, Rocky is expected to be ‘fully immersed into the holistic product creative designs for all of the PUMA x F1 product spanning from racewear to fanwear to fashion’, said Formula 1. “Working with brands as iconic as PUMA, and as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring,” the rapper said of the announcement. “When the world sees what we’re doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brands approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.”
Dropping at a pop-up during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the debut collection so far includes every motorsport-slated sartorial hit you can think of: engineered tracksuits, racing gloves, balaclavas, hoodies, fringed denim, nineties-inspired graphics and fresh takes on the classic race suit, with the F1 logo prominent across the whole range.
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