Just over a month ago, we broke the news of one of the year’s most exciting sneaker launches — Puma’s brand new Suede Mayu. The news was made all the more major by the fact that the person announcing it was Dua Lipa! Today, though, we’ve decided to go one better, bringing you the exclusive reveal of the modern classic trainer’s new campaign, starring the global pop icon and shot by one of i-D’s favourite photographers, Mario Sorrenti.
It’s not every day that you see such a stellar team come together for a sneaker campaign, but this isn’t just any old sneaker, my dears! A bold reimagining of the German sportswear titan’s Classic Suede silhouette, the Suede Mayu is an extroverted celebration of Puma’s high fashion heritage, fusing the OG’s suede upper with a pumped-up sole.
Dropping today on the Puma website and in its stores worldwide, the shoe will first be released in strawberry red and cobalt blue colourways. “We really wanted to make a bold statement with the launch, tapping into the playfulness of the Suede Mayu’s silhouette,” Neli Ernst, Puma’s Senior Designer Sportstyle Footwear, previously told us, noting that classic black-and-white options will be following later in the summer.
Not one for plain old monochrome, Dua opted for the bright blue version of the shoe. Styling it with a high-gloss PVC corset and tights, while perched on a burgundy velvet pouffe in a plush, pastel-walled boudoir. As you can tell, it hardly makes for the sort of setting you’d typically expect to see a pair of trainers in — something which drives home just how adaptable these are. “I love a platform that works across so many looks, day to night,” Dua says. “The Suede Mayu is so versatile, it’s the perfect everyday shoe!”
