Puma have unveiled the 10 new football kits for their partnered African National football teams, using a star studded line-up in London this week. Launched for the 2012 African Cup of Nations, each football shirt is a unique collaboration with a renowned artist from the Creative African Network (CAN).
Unveiled at the Design Museum in London, Puma brought together high profile football players and CAN artists from each of the 10 Puma partnered teams. Stars attending included Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, Yaya Touré of Ivory Coast, Steven Pienaar of South Africa and Asamoah Gyan of Ghana.
With the 2012 Orange Africa Cup of Nations fast approaching, the event was the perfect platform for Puma to demonstrate how the brand has fused its work within sport and art, seamlessly bringing together two worlds that don’t often collide.
Through PUMA.Creative’s CAN programme, artists were commissioned to design a football jersey inspired from the country’s heritage, culture and traditions. Ten artists worked with their home nation to create unique and inspiring designs for the official football kits.
“Puma has been at the forefront of integrating the two disparate worlds of sport and art, and today through a celebration of football, art, colour and culture, we have shown to the world how these two spheres can be uniquely combined,” comments Franz Koch, CEO of Puma SE. “Puma has a long standing history with Africa, and this event demonstrates how as a brand we continue to be fully committed to our relationship with the continent.”
Puma does indeed have a celebrated history with African football, each year bringing something new and different to the football category. Notable highlights include the African Unity Kit for the FIFA World Cup 2010 and the Cameroon Unikit in 2004. Art has also featured prominently in Puma projects: to celebrate the FIFA World Cup 2010, the brand commissioned contemporary artist Kehinde Wiley for a series of portraits with African football players and to design African-inspired lifestyle products.
The Puma partnered African national teams represented include Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Namibia, Senegal, Togo, Gabon, Burkina Faso and Puma’s newest partner South Africa, which signed with the sportlifestyle brand in June 2011.
The technical kits have been designed to maximise the player’s on-pitch performance. The jersey fits the body closely to avoid grabbing from the opponent, it also emphasises the physique of the players, allowing them to exhibit their physical presence on the pitch. The fabric features PUMA’s U.S.P Moisture Management technology, enhancing body performance by dragging moisture away from the body, enhancing air flow and keeping the body at the ultimate performance temperature.
Of course, being the boot fans we are, we couldn't help but notice the new all-yellow Puma v1.11 football boots, which are a great match for all of the new Puma African cup of Nations football kits, but we'll have more on these later!
Stay tuned to the SoccerBible as we'll be taking a full and up-close look at all the new Puma African Cup of Nations football shirts. Let us know what you think of the new ACoN replica, share your thoughts online, on Twitter and on Facebook.