A$AP Rocky continues his work as PUMA Creative Director with the return of the Suede ’94, a version of the familiar sneaker drawn directly from the brand’s 1990s archive. Launching worldwide on July 16, the release connects Rocky’s personal history with the shoe to the music, streetwear and skate scenes that shaped New York during that decade.
SNEAKERS
The A$AP Rocky x PUMA Suede ’94 restores the original design stitch for stitch while introducing a focused set of custom details. A slimmer tooling shape gives the sneaker its distinct 1990s profile, while a raw-edge padded tongue and retro woven label strengthen its period-specific construction. Rocky adds a gold PUMA lace keeper and a custom shoebox to separate the collaboration from a standard archive reissue.
The full retro PUMA logo across the quarter panel provides the sneaker’s clearest identifying feature. According to the brand, no previous Suede iteration has used the logo in this form. Its scale gives the otherwise controlled design a stronger graphic presence and allows the ’94 edition to register immediately.
Rocky selected the model for reasons that extend beyond its proportions. New York in 1994 brought hip-hop’s Golden Era, the development of modern streetwear and a downtown skate culture into close proximity. The Suede belonged to that moment as an everyday part of how people dressed across those communities.
His own memories of the sneaker begin at home. “I remember when my mom bought me my first pair of suedes,” Rocky says. He also points to basketball player Walt “Clyde” Frazier, whose personal style and association with PUMA gave the silhouette an earlier cultural identity. For Rocky, restoring the ’94 model offers a direct way to revisit the visual codes that surrounded his childhood while adding details connected to his current creative position.
The release continues a history that began before the Suede acquired its current name. PUMA launched the Crack in 1968 as its first lifestyle shoe, introducing it during the Olympic Games in Mexico City. Track and field athlete Tommie Smith raised the shoe on the podium following his medal ceremony.
In 1973, Walt Frazier reshaped the silhouette through the Clyde. After his era, the model became known as the Suede, taking its name from the material used across the upper. B-boy crews and the growing hip-hop scene later adopted the shoe, while its United Kingdom release during the 1980s carried the name States in reference to its American popularity.
Rocky’s edition returns to one specific chapter in that extended history. The project avoids excessive alteration and concentrates on proportion, construction and recognizable period details. Its narrow sole, exposed tongue edges and enlarged side logo retain the direct character of the 1994 model.
Ahead of the global launch, A$AP Rocky will host a pop-up at Joe’s Ginger, located at 25 Pell Street in New York’s Chinatown. The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m. EST on July 15 and gives visitors the first opportunity to purchase the sneaker.
The A$AP Rocky x PUMA Suede ’94 launches worldwide on July 16 through PUMA’s website, PUMA stores and selected retailers.
