Let’s get into a little bit of backstory first behind PUMA’s new capsule collection. Back in the 1960s, apartheid in South Africa and racial segregation in the United States were rife, and racism was to some extent, was at its peak. Come the 1968 Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City, a young 200m sprinter by the name of Tommie Smith took home the gold medal, breaking the 20 second barrier to a time of 19.83 seconds. This was all well and good, until the prize giving ceremony came, and changed history as we know it today.
Standing at the top of the podium with teammate John Carlos and fellow sprinter Peter Norman, Smith raised his fist, donned with a black glove along with John Carlos to show solidarity against the oppression of African Americans in the USA. All three athletes wore badges from the Olympic Project for Human Rights.
PUMA’s involvement in this was simple; Tommie had broken the barrier in a pair of black PUMA Suedes, one that he took off before ascending to the podium and subsequently became a symbol for the Black Power Movement.
In remembrance of the powerful gesture, PUMA honours Tommie Smith’s ‘Silent Gesture’ with a special capsule collection that draws inspiration from acclaimed Olympic designer, Lance Wyman. The original designer of the 1968 Olympic Games sees his typeface and graphics transplanted into the new collection featuring sweatshirts, shirts, and hoodies that include the fist and dove into one logo. The Suede gets its own separate collection; 6 tonal colours with Olympic related inspirations adorn the shoe.
Available now at PUMA KLCC and Sunway Pyramid, the collection ranges from RM 169 – RM 410.
