Global sports brand PUMA continues to reinvent streetstyle in the latest of epic collaborations with Les Benjamins. Known for translating local stories, cultures and rituals into craftsmanship, the founder and creative director Bunyamin Aydin reimagines PUMA’s retro silhouette for an exclusive sneaker drop debuting on December 5th. Founded in 2011 Bunyamin Aydin, Les Benjamins is a rising luxury streetwear brand with a focus of exploring the rich diversity of cultures through the lens of photography. With a cultural heritage framework and a contemporary mindset, Aydın’s aesthetic philosophy is a fusion of comfort and culture. Leading the charge of Turkey’s cultural renaissance, the brand was made to promote togetherness and creativity.
Aydin’s passion for travel and photography translates into designs that are high on functionality, wearability and versatility. Symbolic of the brand’s DNA, the collection also features a unique logo with a frame that resembles the focus point in a camera view finder, the spacing between the letters signifies comfort and the bold typeface reflects their strong community spirit. “Our new logo is inspired by the rangefinder of a camera, which representsthe culture of photography. I'm so happy to partner up with PUMA and 13th Witness to launch our 'Journey of Discovery' series. Our aim is to educate people from all around the world about beautiful stories and cultures from all around the globe. First collaboration starts with Turkey, where LES BENJAMINS was born, and you can expect other countries and cultures to be unfolded by us over time and seasons,' says Bunyamin Aydin Blending PUMA’s sports heritage with LES BENJAMINS’ brand DNA, the first drop from the PUMA x LES BENJAMINS debut collection features the chunky, 90’s inspired Thunder silhouette fused with Disc technology and customized with handcrafted details.
The PUMA Thunder Disc x LES BENJAMINS is built on a textile base, with a breathable-mesh upper and suede overlays. Featuring the iconic PUMA Disc laceless technology, Bunyamin Aydin adds his personal touch to the tonal black sneakers with a traditional Turkish carpet print graphic on the Formstrip. The textile webbing is further attached to the suede overlays with plastic cords while the midsole is blocked in shades of gray with matt and shiny effects. PUMA and LES BENJAMINS tapped no less than photographer extraordinaire 13th Witness to capture the collection campaign imagery. He traveled from New York to 2 Turkey to document the journey that bridges east and west. He samples a few teasers featuring the PUMA Thunder Disc x Les Benjamins
