Puma: cool sports wear, good trainers, sick blogs and websites, a pretty contemporary brand right? TRUE. I love puma, i wear it, i write about it,i lust over it! So we were very disapointed when we saw the newest diffusion line, apparently when Puma thinks of Africa, they think tribal and zebra style prints, wild animals, trees, plants and primitive looking people.
Slogans such as ‘DONT HIDE YOUR WILD’ and ‘ZIG THAT ZAG’ and probably the most offensive and patronisng of all ‘KICK THAT SISTER’ and ‘RISE ABOVE’ feature on the PUMA AFRICA website.
Hang on a sec, ‘rise above’ what exactly? The dated, old fashioned African stereotypes that you guys are promoting? The presentation of the African ethnic identity is totally warped in this collection, not everyone in Africa is tribal, carries a stick in their hand and wears animal skin skirts. Through this ‘Kehinde Wiley’ inspired collection (????!) Puma are promoting the static uncompromising Orientalist system. This collection was OBVIOUSLY designed from a westerners point of view. These are western concepts of the east, based on preconceived ideas. Tribal, primitive, colourful Africa, charming and ‘exotic’ and most importantly ‘up for grabs’. Such a referential system, and just like Yves Saint Lauren created a fantasy imaginary image of the ‘orient’ back in the 70’s with his ‘China collection’, 30 or so years later, and bloomin heck, the industry’s view of race and ethnicity hasn’t progressed. Not even a little bit! Africa is a huge continent, and a place not only of beautiful rural scenery but rich, thriving urban landscapes. Puma can not call a whole collection ‘AFRICA’ and only depict the tribal, traditional side. It’s not representative of 2010 Africa. And apart from all these issues. THE COLLECTION SUCKS. It sucks so much, my eyes actually hurt if I look at any of the pieces for more than 2 seconds. Cheap fabric, dated designs, and crude prints, you would have to be truly desperate and mentally retarded to step out the house in any of this collection.
Here here! Love this! Well done!! Well said!!!