Artificial Intelligence has been a buzzword over the past two to three years. In many cases, AI has been a term that brings out the ire in many individuals. While some good use cases exist for some forms of AI, creating art, literature, and similar creative works has been the most significant talking point. That, however, hasn’t deterred companies from shying away from the software – in many cases, some have embraced it full-on. On its ‘About Page’, PUMA is “one of the world’s leading sports brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories.” And this, over 75 years. With this in mind, it’s come as a surprise to many that the brand announced its first AI-inspired sneaker, the PUMA Inverse. But is it as contentious as many make it out to be?
We at Sneaker Fortress are no strangers to the world of AI, having featured several playful designs added to our sneaker wishlist over the years. This includes a feature on the best Nike-inspired sofas or Nike-inspired LEGO sets. But that’s what these designs are: fun ways to explore the possibilities of what could be – not passing it off as legitimate works of art. So, what has PUMA done with their AI-inspired Inverse sneaker?
What the design team started off with as its base was the PUMA Inhale silhouette. From here, the brand’s designers “brought feasibility, functionality, and reality to an AI-made concept.” Its fundamentals were still taken from the PUMA archives, maintaining its core design ethos from the Inhale sneaker.
Designed to be rebellious at its core with a progressive edge, the PUMA inverse design is rooted in the brand’s heritage despite its origins. The team breaks new ground in how it approached the design process while still featuring quintessential PUMA concepts. This includes the midsole cage, as seen on the Inhale, and the ProFoam cushioning, found in many of its sports products. As such, it keeps its PUMA DNA as a result.
The Inverse features a red mesh upper finish for its debut release, which is contrasted against dark amethyst (purple hue) and black accents.
Lead Product Line Manager at PUMA, Scottie Gurwitz, describes the new design process in creating the Inverse sneaker:
“Inverse is a deep dive into a new design mindset. Our goal was to bridge the human experience with experimental technology. AI doesn’t abide by the same rules as human designers, and that can help us see things in new ways and be a good experimental tool for us as we move through the design process.”
Looking at the design itself, it’s not the most ludicrous. While it was inspired by AI, it was based on an actual sneaker designed by the PUMA team. Thereafter, the team further streamlined the design, which 3D and generative AI specialist Leilanni Todd supported. Here, the team depicts the newly designed Inverse inside a world of elevated product imagery.
The PUMA Inverse is set for release this weekend, 7 December 2024. It’ll be available online at PUMA.com and in-store at PUMA flagship stores and selected retailers.
Source: PUMA.com
