Puma Presents We Are Legends. The Neo Renaissance Capsule Collection in New York City

Short N Sweet Ent

Stepping out and looking your best from head to toe is at an all-time high. People, especially in New York City, know how to dress to impress for all different occasions. From various colors to diverse fabrics, fashion enthusiasts know how to put something together to make a statement.

With so many designers and brands in this industry, Puma has found the perfect way for everyone to look their best this season and beyond. In collaboration with Driven Society, Puma presented We Are Legends : The Neo Renaissance Capsule Collection. This collection honored the Harlem Renaissance movement, which cultivated the brilliance of African Americans who used their creative expression through art, music, and literature. To honor this legacy, Puma joined forces with black designers and black creatives to celebrate the power of black excellence and culture.

During an exclusive launch event, on October 19, DJ Goldie Harris set the tone by spinning the latest hit records and getting the crowd ready for an amazing evening. Fashion designer, legend, and icon, Dapper Dan, was honored and acknowledged for his countless contributions to the industry. Dapper Dan spoke to the young designers and stated, “All the information that I have I am going to pass it down because I don’t want to see y’all fail. That’s the most important thing and so we need you guys”. This was an extremely pivotal part of the night because it was amazing to witness the torch being passed down to the next generation of designers.

Photo Credit : edubbs_digital

After the small and intimate ceremony, everyone went downstairs and Harlem’s own rapper, Joe West performed his hit single “I’m Him”. His blended sound of hip-hop and Senegalese sounds resonated with the crowd and his personality definitely made him extremely relatable.

Photo Credit : edubbs_digital

Before the panel began, the head of marketing and the director of community and culture for North America, DeLeyna Adkinson gave us a warm welcome and thanked us for coming out to celebrate.

“I’m responsible for making sure that moments like this happen for us to be able to connect with intentionality to our consumers. What you are seeing today is a collection that was designed by a collective of global designers across the brand. They come together to create whatever they want. What makes this special is that this is the 1st time Puma has ever done this and we are not stopping. What also makes this today special is one, you guys being here to celebrate but also two, the creative images that you see were designed in partnership with Paramount Content for change. So not only did we have an all-black design team sitting at the table creating styles for us, we then tapped into an all-black creative team through Paramount to make sure that the storytelling, the visuals, and the models, all come to life”.

Moderated by Nigeria Faley the Designer Panel discussion included:

Nubia Williams

Roberta Baker-Lundy

Noelani Ramos

Jordan Miller

Gabriela Acevedo-Mendez

The conversation was full of insightful stories and wise words of wisdom that reassured the audience that they too could do whatever they put their minds to.

Panelist, Nubia Williams, explained what it feels like to be a part of the We Are Legends team. “For me, it feels like family. It feels like being able to create products and tell stories with the people who you commune with on a daily basis, who understand your culture, who understand these things that make you uniquely you, and to be able to come together to create products that speak to us. That’s what We Are Legends really is”.

Photo Credit : edubbs_digital

As the night began to come to a close, everyone in the room had the chance to network while listening to a live performance by Lavender & Velvet and Zachary Durham. Their smooth and melodic melodies definitely gave us the feeling that we were right back in the Harlem Renaissance movement.

It is incredible to see our people come together and celebrate in a way that will inspire others to take a chance and live out their dreams. Chelsea Bailey, set PA from Paramount Studios, described her night by stating, “This event brought many memories as an alumni. I definitely loved how all-clothing pieces for men and women portrayed the culture of the Harlem Renaissance. The location setting for this project also represented Harlem through Holcombe Rucker and even the detailed brownstones on West 154th. I would have never thought in 13 years the definition of the rebirth of black culture would have resurfaced from sitting on the stoop and playing double-dutch to the new fashion statement. It gave an opportunity for the new creatives and even the youth to be inspired to chase their dreams. We Are Legends are definitely the creatives new rebirth of black creatives in 2024.

The Neo Renaissance Capsule Collection is now available at the Puma NYC Flagship Store, located on 5th Avenue, and exclusively on the Puma App.