For a third consecutive year, PUMA served as the official footwear sponsor of ComplexCon. The event bore witness to dozens of brands setting up dope activations throughout the Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center last weekend, but it was PUMA that raised the bar even higher in 2018. Nodding to the ’90s mall experience, they constructed a galleria containing “stores” that teased the launch of their new (and upcoming) RS-X collections. The future product drops take inspiration from stories related to Toys, Trophies, Tracks, and Tech, and so the stores were named accordingly.
“It’s beautiful,” G-Eazy remarked of the RS-X Toys runner he held in his hands. “The colorway is fire.”
As with the RS series’ other offerings, the RS-X Toys contains PUMA’s updated Running System technology. With a bold, blocky color palette, the shoe’s design was inspired by the toys millennials grew up on. Fittingly, PUMA brought in a classic arcade crane machine, hitting attendees with a wave of nostalgia and giving them the chance to take home a slice of the ’90s.
Three brand new RS-X Toys x Hot Wheels collab colorways—set to release December 1—were mounted on one of the toy store walls, surrounded by hundreds of Hot Wheels cars. The German footwear brand also dropped a limited number of RS-X Toys pairs for early purchase at ComplexCon (which will be available to the general public December 14).
PUMA brought more than just product to the event. They hosted The Shoe Surgeon, Alexander John, Mache, and JBF Customs, tasking them to create 100 pairs of limited-edition RS-X’s with designs inspired by each store. They sold out instantly. The designers also treated ComplexCon goers with customization demos, providing an exclusive look at their creative processes.
To top off the activation experience, a star-studded list of hip-hop acts came through, including A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Smokepurpp, G-Eazy, Rapsody, Nipsey Hussle, and more. Radio personality YesJulz sat down with the rap stars for one-on-one interviews in the RS-X Tech booth to conclude their visits.
ICYMI, peep what went down at the PUMA mall at ComplexCon in the video above and photos below.
