Before it became a fashion staple, the PUMA Suede started life as a performance shoe. Originally launched in 1968 for the Mexico City Olympics under the name the Crack, it later evolved into the Clyde after basketball player Walt Frazier put his name on it in the 70s, before finally becoming known as the Suede thanks to its now signature upper. Over the years, the shoe has moved between sport, music and street culture, worn by everyone from Olympic athletes and NBA players to B-boys, skateboarders and musicians, picking up new meanings in each era without ever losing its core design. This season, PUMA brought that long history to Paris Fashion Week with Suede House, an immersive pop-up dedicated entirely to the silhouette.

Below is a sneak peek into the space and the opening event.

THE SUEDE HOUSE OPENED UP WITH A PARTY

PUMA kicked things off with a launch event that brought together a mix of artists, designers and long-time collaborators. Among the guests were Skepta, Arlo Parks, Lancey Foux, Pa Salieu, Phyno, Doni Nahmias, fakemink, Kai Isaiah Jamal and Shay, while Andy4000 and Naomi Clement handled music duties for the night.

IT WAS LOCATED IN THE MARAIS

Suede House took over 7 Rue Froissart in the Marais, the same address PUMA used last year, but once again, the building had been completely transformed. The raw interior was reworked into a series of connected rooms, each one focused on a different part of the Suede’s story, using lighting, sound and projections to break the space up into distinct sections.

IT STARTS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING

As soon as you enter, the exhibition starts with a timeline of the Suede’s history, beginning with its Olympic origins and moving through basketball, skateboarding and street culture. Visitors are greeted with archive imagery and facts, including references to Tommie Smith raising the original shoe on the Olympic podium, Walt Frazier’s role in popularising it in the NBA, its adoption by New York B-boys, and later its place in 90s culture through figures like Kurt Cobain. The focus is less on nostalgia and more on showing how the same silhouette kept turning up in different scenes over time.

THERE IS AN INSTALLATION DEDICATED TO BASKETBALL LEGEND CLYDE

One of the key rooms is dedicated to basketball and specifically to Walt “Clyde” Frazier. At the centre is a large basketball installation, alongside a projected short film that looks at his career and his long-standing relationship with the shoe. The film mixes archival footage with new visuals and positions Frazier as one of the first athletes to bring fashion into sports culture, showing how Clyde and later the Suede became part of his identity both on and off the court.

THE SPACE WAS FILLED WITH COLLABORATIONS

Deeper into the space is the main Suede House installation, where the exhibition becomes more contemporary. The hallways are lined with screens showing collaborations and creative projects, including work from Samutaro, Welcome and 114 Index. These rooms focus on how the Suede is being reinterpreted today, with visuals that connect it to current skate culture, streetwear and art, using video, photography and product displays.

A GLIMPSE OF WHAT COMES NEXT

The final section gives visitors a preview of upcoming Suede releases expected to drop throughout the year, with new colourways and variations displayed throughout the space. There is also a more discreet teaser in the form of a sealed box hinting at an upcoming collaboration with A$AP Rocky, offering a glimpse into the next phase of the Suede without revealing too much.

THERE’S STILL TIME TO SEE IT

Suede House will be open until January 24, at 7 Rue Froissart, 75003 Paris. So head over before it’s too late, and for those who cannot make it, head to the gallery above to check out more images from the space.