PUMA STATES x Shadow Society

ART NO: 352692-03

MADE ON: 08/11

MADE IN: CHINA

Back in 2011 PUMA released one of their best set of shoes in recent years with a collective of individuals. The factor which made this project interesting is that the identity of those people were never revealed and kept secret.

The Shadow Society was brought together by PUMA to each design a States mock-up of their choice. In total there were six pairs which came out two at a time. The Crystal Grey/Burgundy colourway seen here was one of the first two pairs to drop in 2011.

The PUMA States have a particular significance within UK cultures so it was deemed the ideal shoe for this special release. The secret six were selected for their knowledge and expertise and this was evident with the details and improvements made compared to previous versions of the shoe.

A new last and improved form was used, a luxury suede covered the upper with smooth leather lining the interior. Attention to detail was also applied to have the inner sole matching the shoe itself. They shoes all came with a total for 4 laces, both skinny and fat in both colours of the shoe, leather lace pouch and specially printed tissue paper.

The Shadow Society project came with an All Seeing Pyramid & Eye logo which added yet more mystery to identity of the unknown individuals. The logo was stamped on the lace pouch, inside of the tongue and printed on the inner packaging.

When brands got to the effort of selecting individuals or stores to make a shoe with they usually want to very published who they’re working with. The fact that PUMA did the opposite and they went on to sell out Worldwide shows that attention to detail can at times make for a better direction to go in than a major celebrity or boutique endorsement.

Photography: errol

Text: Professor B