Words by Leslie Monet
Earlier this week PUMA announced they are celebrating their 50th anniversary of the quintessential Suedes in 2018 by prudently aligning an iconic symbol to represent each year. Considerate of a delicate balance with racial tension across the nation, PUMA has audaciously chosen Olympic Gold Medalist Tommie Smith, who was the first athlete in the world to finish the 200 meter dash race in under twenty seconds, as the first to epitomize the shoe.
After the record breaking victory, Smith and his fellow teammate John Carlos, who placed third in the race were emboldened to accept their medals wearing only black socks to represent Black poverty. Smith and Carlos also shared a pair of black leather gloves and during the national anthem each held up one fist in support of the civil rights movement.
Smith took his prerogative to another level by holding his Suedes in hand as he accepted the gold medal. He summoned the feelings of that day saying “I took my PUMA Suedes to the victory stand with me because they reminded me of me. They were annoyingly strong, unassuming and dark.”
For each year of the half century anniversary, PUMA will highlight a unique story that speaks to legendary events in sports, music, and culture. Stay tuned for updates in November as PUMA reveals the complete roster of collaborations for the anniversary celebration.
