Although the Washington Wizards PF Kyle Kuzma signed a five-year $20 million sneaker deal in 2019 with Puma, according to Dylan kelly for Hypebeast. he launched his first collaborative capsule in 2022. These designs were inspired and influenced by Kuzma’s youthful aspirations. This collection in particular is called “Childhood Dreams,” and was created with Kuzma’s fashion label.
“Whether you’ve always wanted to be in the NBA or become a fashion designer or a fireman, those dreams usually spark while you’re a child,” Kuzma told Hypebeast of the name’s inspiration. “For me, with being a basketball player, I had so many ambitions and things that I could always see myself becoming at a young age across all these different journeys.”
Rarely, does one get the opportunity to fall back into their childish ways? This allows their minds to be as free as they once were. Yet, Puma gave Kuzma the opportunity to do so and it appears to have worked successfully. The range of the shoe is multi-dynamic and extremely layered. For example, the line puts Earth at its fore, which means utilizing predominantly recycled and plastic-free fabrics. This includes more sustainable dye practices, so the future generation can think big without needing tons of money to resources to do so.
“We want to create a better world and a better Earth, and it’s something that’s very important as we continue to grow older,” said Kuzma.“The Earth is changing, but it’s up to us to understand that we can take a stand and make an effect in terms of what we want our world to be like.”
Kyle Kuzma’s Creative Process
The collection is balanced between playful sportswear and elevated streetwear, according to HypeBeast. The majority of the collection is Earth toned to send messages to the youth. However, it also makes it easily accessible to other colorways while putting together outfits. In Kuzma’s opinion, he believes that June Ambrose has played a huge influence in his creative process. In fact, he speaks about how grateful he is for that.
“June is the best. She is such a creative mind, and she is someone that is always out of the box. She’s a true visionary,” Kuzma said. “This collection is minimalist but also essential. For us, it was all about making everyday clothes.”
