The love letter to African football culture by PUMA and Ahluwalia A collection that began with research in the German brand’s archives
PUMA and London-based designer Priya Ahluwalia present a new collection that intertwines Ahluwalia’s Indo-Nigerian heritage with PUMA’s iconic sportswear DNA. The spirit of the partnership aims to capture the energy of Africa ahead of the World Cup, with visuals highlighting the passion and sense of cultural community shaped by football across the African continent. For the second drop of the PUMA x Ahluwalia collaboration, the designer drew inspiration from the passion and creativity of football fans across the continent. By observing images of pitches and supporters in places such as Morocco and Nigeria, she was struck by the different ways communities express pride in their teams. Research also extended into the PUMA archives, where decades of football memorabilia helped reinterpret the collection’s classic silhouettes. Rooted in the joy and collective spirit that football inspires, the collection celebrates the sport as a universal language capable of uniting communities across borders.
The collaboration reinterprets iconic PUMA models such as the V-S1 silhouette and the historic T7 tracksuit, enhancing them with eye-catching all-over prints, distinctive fabrics, and a vibrant colour palette. The new collection includes footwear, apparel, and accessories, following Ahluwalia’s reinterpretation of the Suede at the end of 2025. Used on track tops and track pants, the collection’s all-over print abstractly evokes a stadium filled with celebrating fans, rendered through custom PUMA x Ahluwalia graphics. A textured jersey appears on the T7 top and skirt, referencing the distinctive green of the Nigerian flag with premium embroidered logos. A graphic polo combines oversized visual elements with a gradient colour effect, creating a bold and impactful design.
The Micro Grip Bag and baseball cap complete the collection’s accessories. The Micro Grip Bag features the signature wavy pattern found on the T7 top and skirt, referencing PUMA’s Formstrip. The baseball cap comes in a simple black colourway, with a lightweight textured construction and a subtle Ahluwalia logo on the front. As for footwear, the PUMA V-S1 is offered in two versions: a vibrant pan-African palette of red, yellow, black, and green, and a more minimal grey and black variation. The streamlined laceless silhouette draws inspiration from early-2000s football design, referencing the PUMA V1 family of shoes, short for velocity, known for its radical and innovative construction.
The collection is largely made from recycled fibres, reflecting an ongoing commitment to responsible material innovation. Working closely with the PUMA development team, Ahluwalia explored new production techniques and materials for both apparel and footwear. Shooted in Morocco and developed through photography and a narrative short film, the campaign is a love letter to African football. Through images of sun-bleached walls and sand-covered streets, the film explores the emotional heart of the sport, presenting football as something that unites us and belongs to everyone.