Puma and Palomo Spain celebrate self-expression and gender fluidity with a new capsule
September 2, 2022
Sportswear brand PUMA and Spanish fashion house Palomo Spain join forces to create a collection exploring team sports with a retro edge and exploring gender fluidity. Palomo Spain is well known for its dedication to new silhouettes that celebrate gender fluidity.
The collection is inspired by 70s football stars and their glamorous off-field lives, linking the flamboyant and extravagant approach of that decade's fashion to Paomo's signature couture-infused romantic, gender-neutral designs.
About the collaboration
My goal with this collaboration was to bring our over-the-top vibes over to PUMA, while stepping out of my comfort zone by designing sports clothes. That’s what led me to subtly reference Johan Cruyff, the ultimate 70’s football icon who is also the perfect embodiment of the Palomo Spain aesthetic in sport.
Alejandro Gómez Palomo, Founder and Creative Director of Palomo Spain
The crossover between craftsmanship and technology is an interesting one, as it’s not obvious at all; yet a highly technical production process was necessary to create the intricate embroideries and detailing that are Palomo’s trademark on the PUMA scale. Those delicate graphic elements elevate the collection and bring the right balance to a classic, clean silhouette.
Heiko Desens, Global Creative Director for PUMA
Interview
An interview with Alejandro Gomez Palomo on the collaboration.
ALEJANDRO GOMEZ PALOMO FOUNDER
How has working with PUMA been for you?
Even though there were technical challenges since we worked remotely, at the same time it felt remarkably easy. From the very beginning, we developed a really nice, sincere, and honest relationship and the working process just got more and more exciting. It was so much fun to work alongside such a big, international brand. It allowed me to approach fashion in a much more engineered way than what I’m used to in my own brand, and to delve into sports dressing, which is not my comfort zone at all!
Tell us a bit about your past and your story. How did you get your start?
As far back as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a designer. I was already drawing princess dresses at three, which bit by bit developed into proper small collections. I feel very lucky in that aspect: finding a professional path can be difficult, and I’ve always been clear on mine.
What led you to create the brand Palomo Spain?
My own brand was not at all in my plans originally! I had just finished my studies at Central Saint Martins and presented a six-piece collection during the end-of-year show, and it unexpectedly garnered attention from the public and the press. I eventually got a commercial order for some coats before even graduating, which made me consider my own brand for the first time. But it was only when my father suggested I go back home and open a small atelier there that it really felt like a realistic plan.
You talk a lot about your friends and family. Tell us more about why they are so important to you.
Palomo Spain would be nothing without them! I’ve always looked to surround myself with inspiring, creative, loving people, and when I first got back to Spain - and to Madrid in particular - after my studies, I was met with such electric energy fuelled by a community of young creatives. In retrospect, our friendship has helped define each of our aesthetics. It is thanks to them, my team and my family, and people in my village in Andalusia that the Palomo Spain universe has developed the way it has.
Are you seeing some shared values between your brand and your work with PUMA? Is that something that has helped guide the collaboration?
Absolutely! We both share a sense of community and inclusivity. That is perhaps best expressed in the collection through its genderless approach, which is something that comes naturally to the way I work. I never think of whether one of my garments is going to end up worn by a man or a woman, and the PUMA team was fully on board with that. That’s why we shot the campaign the way we did.
Who do you think is the ideal consumer for your collection with PUMA?
Literally anyone! My end goal is for the Palomo Spain look to reach all kinds of people, as that would mean our values have truly stricken a cord. I’d be just as happy seeing the collection on the cool crowd in London or New York as on my dad. Any guy choosing one of our pieces to wear during sport or on his day off would make me super proud of Palomo Spain’s values being shared so widely.
Any final words on the collection with PUMA?
Only that I can’t wait for the new season to be here, and to start seeing people on the street wearing PUMA x Palomo garments!
