Fresh off of its debut at fashion week yesterday, we have a first look at Puma’s “Fenty By Rihanna” sneaker line. We’ll leave the clothing out, but these trainers are distinctive enough to warrant some attention. Besides, Rihanna was recently credited by Puma for increasing their Q4 sales beyond expectations.
It’s clear from the photos of the clothing that Rihanna had quite a bit of creative control for these shoes, and the same rings true for the sneakers. Dubbed the Fenty Trainer, the shoe takes simultaneous influences from athletic wear and the high fashion looks of the runway for a truly distinctive silhouette. The shoe may be a departure for Puma’s tried and true low top design, but it still has the Puma’s swoosh shape on the sides and branding on the tongue and heel tab. The heel tab also has “by Rihanna” text added to the logo.
These kicks prove we aren’t done with the trend of continually climbing tongues, as the tongue on the Fenty Trainers extends higher than any other sneaker we can think of. The shoe features no laces to speak of, and combines a number of different perforated materials throughout the shoe for breathability and comfort.
The shoe has appeared on select retailers like Rise, and is listed for release on Feb 26. No word on pricing, but given the ‘high fashion’ trappings of the shoe, we’re guessing they’ll be upwards of $200. The shoe will come in "Red Alert," "Blackout" and "Whiteout" monochromatic designs.
It’s a distinctive look that could very well work for the ladies, but we’ll have to see some on foot pictures first. Is it enough to tempt any fellas out there though?