Artist/designer Alexander-John and PUMA have teamed up for a special “G-Tag” take on the Suede. With a midsole dipped in rubber and a graffiti-covered upper, the shoe is a vividly detailed homage to Alexander-John’s artistic journey and a unique reinterpretation of one of PUMA’s most classic models, crafted in celebration of Roc Nation’s Made in America festival.The base for Alexander-John’s design is a standard navy blue Suede, with its upper covered in metallic gold, white and red handstyle tags. Tongues feature a stamped gold badge and a large tag hangs off the lateral eyestays, but the shoe’s most unique detail is its red rubber-dipped midsole, which will distress with wear to reveal a classic white PUMA cupsole underneath. Alexander-John has also noted that the color palette is a representation of the blood, sweat and tears poured into his artistic journey, while the gold embellishments nod to resilience and the rewards reaped from following your dreams. When discussing the inspiration behind the sneaker, Alexander-John was reflective. “The G-Tag Suede story is about my travels through different cities and how the various types of graffiti that I saw inspired me to stay on my path … my train,” he said. “Launching the Made in America version of this design is a full-circle moment for me and a piece of my history as a self-made designer.” Interested parties can purchase the Alexander-John x PUMA Suede “G-Tag” on the PUMA webstore now. Its MSRP is set at $250 USD. For more news on new sneaker releases, be sure to check out the latest installment of HYPEBEAST’s weekly Best Footwear Drops list.Click here to view full gallery at HYPEBEAST
