PUMA today unveils the Chinese New Year special edition Clyde ushering in the annual spring festival in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Following the much-anticipated comeback of the iconic PUMA Clyde in 2016, PUMA adds another collectable style for sneaker aficionados worldwide with the limited edition drop. With 2017 being the Year of the Rooster, this special Clyde iteration takes inspiration from the fine feathered bird, featuring a premium black leather upper with reflective details in the Formstripe, reminiscent of the Rooster’s unique feathers. Further representing the cycles of the Chinese Lunar New Year, the sneaker features gold printed symbolic Mandarin characters on the heel. A subtle nod to Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier’s notoriously flamboyant style, the CNY edition is no different, completed with a golden print and deboss detailing.
The story of the PUMA Clyde began when basketball star, Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier asked for a custom-made pair of the PUMA Suede that were reconfigured to suit his unique style, becoming the first player in history to have a sneaker named after them. His quick hands on defense combined with his calm, cool, and collected demeanor paired with his smooth off-court style earned him the nickname “Clyde”.
Originally created in 1973 – in an era when sports stars began to impressively impact on popular culture, influencing everything from film, fashion and even language, the PUMA Clyde quickly became the sports sneaker of the 70s. It’s maintained a strong presence in pop culture in the decades to come, being adopted as sneaker of choice by the hip hop stars, skateboarders, B-boys and musicians leading the punk movement of the 90s. Its many important cultural links ensure it’s a crucial shoe for the sneaker collector of today. Clyde himself describes the shoe as ‘a timeless design’ enabling it to remain a cult sneaker and return to the streets after five years.
The PUMA Clyde CNY launches on January 20th at Sneakersnstuff
