A$AP Rocky continues his work as PUMA Creative Director with the return of the Suede ’94, a version of the iconic sneaker straight from the brand’s 1990s archive. Releasing worldwide on July 16, the release connects Rocky’s personal history with the shoe to the music, streetwear and skate scenes that shaped New York during that decade.
The A$AP Rocky x PUMA Suede ’94 brings back 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-edged tongue and retro woven tag reinforce its period-specific construction. Rocky adds gold PUMA laces and a custom shoebox to separate the collaboration from a standard archival reissue.
The full retro PUMA logo across the quarter panel provides the sneaker’s clearest identifying feature. According to the brand, no previous Suede version has used the logo in this form. Its scale gives the otherwise controlled design a stronger graphic presence and allows the ’94 version to register immediately.
Rocky chose the model for reasons beyond its proportions. New York in 1994 brought together the Golden Age of hip-hop, the growth of modern streetwear and skate culture downtown. Suede belonged at that time as an everyday part of how people dressed in these communities.
His own sneaker memories start at home. “I remember when my mom bought me my first pair of suedes” Rocky says. It 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 an immediate way to revisit the visual codes that surrounded his childhood while adding details that connect to his current creative position.
The release continues a story that started before Suede got its current name. PUMA launched the Crack in 1968 as its first lifestyle shoe, introducing it during the Olympics in Mexico City. Track and field athlete Tommie Smith raised his shoe on the podium after his medal ceremony.
In 1973, Walt Frazier reformed the silhouette through Clyde. After its time, the model became known as the Suede, taking its name from the material used in the upper. B-boy crews and the burgeoning hip-hop scene later adopted the shoe, while its release in the UK during the 1980s carried the States name in reference to its American popularity.
Rocky’s version returns to a specific chapter of this extended story. The work avoids excessive alteration and focuses on proportion, construction and recognizable period details. Its narrow sole, exposed tongue tips and enlarged side logo retain the directness of the 1994 model.
Ahead of the global release, A$AP Rocky will host a pop-up at Joe’s Ginger, located at 25 Pell Street in New York City’s Chinatown. The event runs from 4 to 8 p.m. EST on July 15 and gives visitors the first chance to purchase the sneaker.
The A$AP Rocky x PUMA Suede ’94 releases globally on July 16 via PUMA’s website, PUMA stores and select retailers.
