Building on the recent triumph of the initial PUMA x Ciele Athletics collaboration, these two brands are joining forces once more.
This time, their partnership serves a noble cause: benefiting The Trevor Project. Scheduled for a September 2023 release, a month prominently dedicated to national suicide prevention, this collaboration is designed to raise awareness and provide aid to the younger LGBTQ+ community.
Alongside an exclusive product line-up, PUMA and Ciele Athletics have committed to a $25,000 donation to The Trevor Project, furthering the organization’s vital mission. The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) young people.
“We’re extremely proud to continue our partnership with Ciele in a meaningful way by supporting The Trevor Project, with whom we’ve had a long-standing relationship,” said Erin Longin, GM of Global Run/Train at PUMA. “The Trevor Project does incredible work in their mission to end suicide among LGBTQ young people and we’re encouraged by the positive impact they’re continuing to have. Our goal was to create a simple and impactful collection of products that support these communities not only during their runs, but also when they may need help the most.”
“We have personally admired and applauded the vision and efforts undertaken by The Trevor Project in support of the LGBTQ+ community over the years. When we learned that PUMA has been a longtime partner of theirs, it was clear that our second joint adventure together should be built to support The Trevor Project,” said Daniel Marrett, global director of marketing & business development at Ciele Athletics.
As one of the faces of this collaboration/campaign, Cal Calamia, a talented transgender runner with a strong record of advocacy for The Trevor Project, was a natural choice for Ciele Athletics and PUMA. Cal’s role as an educator, an activist and a runner made their inclusion in the campaign an unequivocal decision.
“The thing that I feel I’m always coming back to is how do I hold space so that trans and non-binary people, queer people, can understand that there’s nothing inherently wrong with who we are? And there’s actually so much beauty and so much to celebrate about our identities. That shows up in the classroom, that shows up in the run club, that shows up when I’m speaking, when I’m racing. Then, when I have the opportunity to speak to an outlet or whatever it is, that’s what I care about. And the reason why I’m looping it all the way back to my childhood—I just didn’t have [that support]. My goal is to change that narrative for at least a few people and empower other people to do the same,” Calamia said.
This collection features performance styles for individuals of all backgrounds, ensuring their next run is one they’re proud of. The collection is intentionally simple in both volume and aesthetics, leaving room for the message to be centered while still pulling together pinnacle design features. Key styles include:
- PUMA x Ciele ForeverRUN NITRO running shoe US$170
- PUMA x Ciele THE WORK IS THE WORK tee US$55
- PUMA x Ciele PEACE IS THE PLACE tee US$55
- PUMA x Ciele GOCap US$50
The PUMA x Ciele Athletics Collection retails for US$50 to US$170 and will be available for purchase starting Sept. 21 on PUMA.com and cieleathletics.com as well as via select retailers globally.
