Back in May, Puma announced that it had signed a multi-year licensing deal to exclusively produce and sell Formula 1 apparel at all races. Which is a big job. So, they got a big name to steer it: A$AP Rocky.
Rocky has been unveiled as the creative director of the Puma and Formula 1 partnership, and he will work closely with Puma chief executive Arne Freundt. As the partnership kicks off, that means a series of capsule collections that will be released throughout the 2024 race calendar—and, according to Puma, Rocky is already “in the lab” for a debut in Miami. “Working with brands as iconic as Puma, and as innovative as F1, has been truly inspiring,” Rocky said in an official press release. “When the world sees what we’re doing, I believe a shift will happen with how brands approach taking risks and working with diverse creatives.”
So far, not much has been unveiled about what A$AP Rocky has in store for Puma and the F1, but in a batch of teaser images announcing the partnership, you can already sort of get a taste of what’s to come. Racing gloves imprinted with Puma’s recognizable motif, lacy balaclavas featuring Puma and F1 branding on the chin, and oversized quilted jackets doused in luminous green. In one shot there’s a beaded balaclava, while in another, Rocky wears jeans that come emblazoned with Puma graphics on the crotch.
This isn’t Rocky’s first design gig, nor is it his first venture into fashion. Not only is he a proper fashion boy who gets down with big Bottega Veneta suits and one-off Gucci pieces, he’s also co-designed collections with JW Anderson, Marine Serre and Guess Originals. It’s not that surprising Puma’s on the books now, either. His partner Rihanna has her own creative director position at the brand, which has seen her design two collections of Fenty-branded footwear.
Rocky’s first capsule collection will drop in the coming weeks—and Formula 1 will continue its journey to becoming one of the coolest sports on the planet.
This story originally appeared on British GQ with the title “Just like Rihanna, A$AP Rocky’s got a new gig at Puma”
