PUMA DROPS THE NEW RS 9.8 SciFi SNEAKER
Partners with Appupencil to Create an Exclusive Comic Inspired by the Sneaker
Bengaluru, India, September 18, 2019: Getting space-age swagger onto the streets, sports brand PUMA launches its latest RS 9.8 SciFi sneaker. Inspired by new frontiers and galaxies, by people who defy societal rules and the laws of physics, the latest drop enters new realms with its aerodynamic simplicity.
A nod to Humans growing interplanetary aspirations, the name RS 9.8 speaks to 9.8 m/s2 – the approximate speed of gravitational acceleration near the Earth’s surface. Just as the speed of an object falling freely here increases by about 9.8 meters per second every second, the sneakers powered with PUMA’s Running System technology adds much-needed momentum to a new, fashionable silhouette.
The influence of space explorations gives the RS 9.8 SciFi a FUTRO aesthetic with cosmos-themed bold colors. Adding a fresh streak to streetstyle, the sneaker is imagined with a textile upper decked with suede and leather overlays. With a black material mix on the upper, the light weight PU midsole is reinvented to create unique, space-inspired spheres in purple glimmer and orange pops of color.
Bringing the sneaker to life, for the first time, PUMA worked with comic artist and author, Appupencil aka George Mathen, creator of Rashtraman. In the brand’s continued efforts to partner with Indian artists, this one-of-a-kind partnership saw George create an action comic hero and book, based on the RS 9.8 SciFi sneaker. The limited-edition comic titled “Get Grounded” will be available on the purchase of the sneaker online and in stores. The creatives from the comic will also be promoted by the brand on social and e-commerce platforms.
On the launch, George Mathen said, “This was a first for me – creating a character and a comic story inspired by a sneaker. The RS 9.8 SciFi is definitely a unique look, which helped me come up with the character and a story based around it. I am excited about the launch of this sneaker and hope every sneaker-head and comic fan enjoys my work for PUMA.”
The RS 9.8 SciFi sneaker debuts in India on PUMA.com, PUMA stores and retailers.
