In a follow-up to their Manchester-exclusive release from last year to celebrate the opening of the new END. Store in Manchester, END. and PUMA have teamed up once again with ‘Classics’, a three-piece collection that showcases the importance of timeless design and fine craftsmanship.
Originally released in 1971, PUMA sneakers were famously worn by NBA icon Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier on the court, The revamp highlights premium materials and intricate detail, bringing PUMA’s iconic Clyde sneaker once again into the spotlight.
Each PUMA Clyde is limited to 300 pairs, constructed with premium hairy suede fabrics, co-branded insoles, and individually numbered in gold with END branding at the heels. The updated design features awesome classic colours that are each distinct and vibrant in their own right, such as Red, Pine Needle, or deep, crisp Navy, all of which stand out vividly against hits of frosted ivory.
The Clyde Sneakers were groundbreaking in more ways than one because they involved a major endorsement deal that likely gave rise to today’s sneaker deals. Always one to stylistically stand out, Clyde apparently wanted a different sneaker colour for each game, with over 390 different colours allegedly being used. The shoes were made of suede leather for this reason—so that they were easier to dye.
Off the court, the style eventually morphed into a go-to amongst a variety of subcultures in the years that followed, especially within old-school hip hop and skate punk, and five decades on, anyone would agree that the brand is still a major player in the sneaker game.
With all this said, some iconic designs are too good to leave sitting on the shelf, or in a box, and the OG PUMA Clyde Sneakers is a design that is definitely deserving of another look.
The END x PUMA Clyde OG Classics Collection will release on 27 January 2023 via END Launches. Other exclusives are set to follow from both END. and PUMA this year, including city-exclusive drops, but sneakerheads can enter a drawing for a coveted pair of Classics via END. You can find all the links below.
