ASAP Rocky is dressed to the nines.
The occasion? To celebrate the launch of his third collection with Puma. For the launch, he converted his SoHo, New York office into a showroom complete with glass display cases full of product and a fun-sized red Ferrari race car, with some jazz music looping in the background to help set the mood.
The collection comprises racing-inspired lifestyle gear. A short-sleeve zip polo covered in AWGE and Puma logos is meant to resemble an oil-stained pit crew shirt. Jeans feature built-in knee pads to look like protective gear a driver would wear on the race track. Rocky also leans into some of 2024’s biggest streetwear trends to provide his take on an embellished belt complete with a chrome Puma logo buckle and removable pouches, and a pair of jorts with the Puma logo printed across the front. The star of the collab is the footwear: a reptile-like Mostro 3D slip-on debuted in red and black alongside two pairs of pre-distressed Inhale runners.
“People don’t really want their shoes to say the brand all over it, have the monogram all over it, Gucci, Louis, Prada, Balenci everywhere,” Rocky tells Complex. “I toned it down and wanted to do something distressed. It’s almost like a blend of Margiela and Golden Goose to make it look like we’ve been working on cars and changing oil all day, some jiggy shit.”
Next month will mark the anniversary of Rocky’s appointment as the creative director of Puma’s Motorsport division. The “HIGHJACK” rapper says the past year has taught him a lot about the business side of designing products. Ultimately, his favorite piece of the process is just putting his ideas out in the world for consumers to experience.
“Ideas are trapped thoughts in the prison of your mind,” says Rocky. “Your only prerogative should be to get ’em out and free them. Any hindered idea is a waste. In the words of my man Virgil [Abloh], just put it out.”
One of those ideas that Rocky hopes will come to fruition soon is a line of Puma children’s apparel. He’s experimented with some one-of-ones for his own kids, RZA and Riot Rose, but nothing has hit the market yet. “It’s timelines and deadlines with everything, but the kids got to eat,” says Rocky with a laugh.
Rocky updated us that he is also hard at work on the followup to his celebrated runway debut, AWGE’s “American Sabotage,” which took place at Paris Fashion Week this past June. For his second show, he’s bringing things back home.
“I’m working on it right now. That shit about to be crazy,” he says. “The next show is going to be in New York. Right now it’s about conceptualizing and prepping. Probably like 90% editing, 10% talent. I’m about to show you what the fuck is up, what we’ve been editing and working on for these past couple months.”
As much as his fans have latched onto his design work with Puma and AWGE, many are clamoring for the music. His long-awaited fourth studio album, Don’t Be Dumb, is still on hold. At his Paris Fashion Week show, he teased an Aug. 30 release date, which was pushed back. Singles such as “Ruby Rosary” and “Tailor Swif,” the latter of which Rocky confirmed will not appear on the album, have been released since. The launch date for the entire project is still up in the air.
“There were different reasons why, mainly being leaks and clearance stuff,” Rocky says on the Don’t Be Dumb delay. “But it gave me more time to be creative and put some finishing touches. I’m a perfectionist and I think sometimes that’s my own worst enemy. I like to keep revising and editing, pushing things to the limit. I want to explore every option and every possibility. I want to assure that all of my fans will be fulfilled when they get this music.”
If Rocky’s Puma gear is any indication, Don’t Be Dumb will be worth the wait.
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