puma x miharayasuhiro aw12

The 'cut-into-half' design by Miharayasuhiro has been a signature. This technique is used in Mihara's main line as well on those Converse-like shoes. I recall many seasons ago that such bi-tonal look has already been used in Puma x Mihara series. Last season we saw its recurrence and proved quite a success, and so now the AW12 collection with different materials and colors. Love the orange + maroon combi. Striking!

Available from Rakuten Pistachio

ss12 puma x designer

I cannot remember since when Puma x designer collaborations commence but I am sure that it is still going on strong. This SS12 we see some new designs emerging. The half-tone design is very typical of Mihara, and it was used before some seasons back but this round Mihara plays with Jack Union print. The McQueen 's grey white ankle-hi is a new hybrid, same for the slipper and perforated green hitops from Hussein.

The deep blue thick sole boots are a surprise from Dassler. In terms of pricing, McQueen and Hussein belong to the more expensive class, while Dassler and Mihara ones are more affordable. If you are staying in Singapore, you could get them at Isetan Wisma and main Puma stores, with, as usual, limited sizes and hybrids sadly. Online stockists such as Revolveclothing and Pistachio also stock them, with the latter having the biggest selection as usual.

from top: Dassler deep blue desert boots, Hussein black desert boots, Hussein tan color running sneakers, Hussein green perforated runner, Hussein slipper-sandal, McQueen ankle hi, Mihara half-tone sneakers

images adapted from Pistachio

puma x mihara aw11, and nostalgia

I used to be a great fan of Puma when it started collaborating with McQueen, Neil Barrett and Miharayasuhiro. Such collaborations continue until today but only 2 lines retained, but of course there is a new line, Urban Mobility by Hussein Chayalan emerging llike 3 seasons ago, and it seems doing quite well. Another defunct line would be Sergio Rossi line.

I find it a pity that Neil Barrett 96 hours ended years ago. Could it be due to poor sales? No doubt Neil Barrett designed very nice Puma shoes, but the prices were very steep. I believe the most consumed ones, the Mihara and McQueen lines,  survive until today because they are the 'fittest' - Mihara being the cheapest while McQ the most valued?  However I personally feel that the 2 lines are already getting jaded.

Similar to SS11 collection, Puma x Mihara AW11 does not really wow me, but I believe there are still some interesting pieces to find. ( same for the McQueen line, which I will write about in the next post).

During the years (mid 2000s) when Puma x designer series were not so available in Singapore, and even the official Puma stores carried none, there was this shop called Venue that brought in a wide range of Puma x designer series and it made me indulgent for quite some time. Venue was then the new kid on the block in the fashion scene of Singapore. Its huge collections of luxurious Puma designer shoes and Raf Simons merchandises earned itself many magazine spreads and a reputation in the desert-like Singapore's fashion landscape. I was then a very frequent Venue customer too. Once it got 2 branches in Singapore and Thailand (if I am not wrong), then later, a mobile store called VBox that would relocate itself along Singapore's Orchard Road periodically. Pitifully, Venue is now defunct.

images adapted from
zozo.jp and pumatalk forum

puma x mihara ss2011

This season, the collaboration between Puma and Miharayasuhiro continues with some new models such as 53 and 54 added but none creates my desire. Looking through all the designs and colors, my heart is on my-40 and 41, one of the most classic models afterall, and I believe the most sellable too.


images adapted from zozo.jp/town

mihara deck shoes 'uncle' or not

I usually call such shoes very 'uncle' (Singaporeans will know what it means, which is old fashioned, down-to -earth mundanity). However, with Mihara's slight tweaking, the addition of wing-tip design is magical and genius, adding more fashionability to it, cutting off the 'uncleness' of such shoe genre. Now available at Restir.com for USD545.

images adapted from Restir

what's on my feet today...

Miharayasuhiro's bi-material classic sneaker