24 Hours in Tokyo with Sabukaru, Skepta and Puma

PUMA has been continuing to prove itself as a pivotal figure in culture in recent years, and their latest partnership marks its inception into its 2023 takeover by coming together with the UK grime artist and fashion icon, Skepta. The Big Smoke stepped out of London and into the streets of Tokyo to visit the PUMA Tokyo HQ and take the most recent release, the VELOPHASIS, for a spin.

We kicked off the day with PUMA after they invited Skepta to the Tokyo HQ to take a deep dive into their archive of footwear and apparel. With products from the early days of PUMA, some dating decades back, Skepta searched through this treasure trove of history. From shoes inspired by Japanese Armour to the RS-Computer shoe with only 86 made worldwide, the vast archive showed the might of PUMA and its long stature and innovation in the industry.

Taking a step outside into the Tokyo sun after the PUMA HQ, we showed the Big Smoke our favourite spots. From archive stores which boast some of the most impressive fashion pieces, the city has to offer one of the most popular otaku merchandise stores which have a sprawling catalogue of Japanese pop culture gems.

After a quick lunch at one of Tokyo’s most popular Ramen spots in Ebisu, we started the Tokyo exploration at Blue Room in Shibuya. Headed up by some of Tokyo’s most prolific Urahara collectors and stylists, Blue Room is host to everything that the Tokyo youth are wearing right now: Vintage sportswear, staples from the golden era of the Urahara-boom such as original Good Enough, and stand-out archive pieces from the like of Final Home.

Giving the Skepta team a deep dive into the Japanese youth fashion movement, was both an educational experience as much as an indulgent one. Skepta’s style has always been lucid, varying from different styles. From wearing Japanese brands like Cav Empt and mixing it with baggy tracksuit bottoms, his and Japan’s style resonates perfectly and much of what you see the youth wearing today, Skepta was wearing back in the heyday of his emergence.

Keeping up with the shopping spree, we then headed to the infamous archive store ZSC. Home to everything from decades-old iconic pieces from Margiela to the owner of the store's own brand, HOKITA, which is as future-facing as it comes. The spectrum of history in this library is next to none, allowing the UK artist to relish in multiple design philosophies from the past and present.

Taking a keen interest in the headwear, we saw him try on multiple different hats, one especially being a vintage Mink hat. For all who know the world-famous performer, you already know that this fits within his style perfectly. Lined up outside the entrance to the ZSC library was the entourage of Puma Velophasis, a shoe which perfectly resonates within the DNA of this past and future archive.

After the showcase of fashion, we then took a walk-through downtown Shibuya as nighttime came and the neon euphoria started to light up the streets. Stepping down the stairs in our Puma’s we passed the threshold of the world-famous Mandarake. Known for its vast corridors of merchandise from the most known to the most niche subcultures of the otaku universe, here you’ll find everything from playing cards to toys, and manga. This is a true treasure trove of jewels for all ages – a wonderland of the weird, fantastic, creative, and intriguing.

Skepta spent the whole day wearing the latest PUMA silhouette. The new VELOPHASIS looks to invigorate the wearer by looking to the past and reviving exceptional shoe technology and putting it through a modern filter. By reaching into their vast archive, the inspiration of the shoe stems from the COMPLETE line; this defining range from the 2000s sets the precedent for the project by offering unparalleled running engineering and being reimagined to resonate with the current Y2K culture craze.

By pulling together modern design philosophy and the heritage of PUMA, the VELOPHASIS allows access to a hybrid style of contemporary aesthetics and functionality. Taking the best parts of both eras, the asymmetrically designed shoe is embellished in new materials but features notes of homage from the 00s: honeycombed mesh, textured panels, and an aggressive shape all nod back to the heritage of the COMPLETE line.

The first iteration, PUMA VELOPHASIS Bionic, dropped at the beginning of February. Additional colorways and collaborations will come later in Spring 2023 and will be available on PUMA.com and in select retailers.

Imagery and Video by Gakuyen and Shammond Shorter
Words by Joe Goodwin