Can Rihanna Save Puma?

She did it once, but the stakes are higher this time

Whatsup Squad,

Puma shares tumbled as much as 25% on Wednesday—their worst drop ever— after the German sportswear company warned of weaker profits and a weak 2025 outlook.

The news comes as Rihanna returned home to Barbados to launch her latest Fenty x Puma collection.

A decade ago, she helped revive the brand. Can she do it again?

Early Days

Towards the end of 2014, Puma surprised sneakerheads by naming Rihanna its women's creative director and global ambassador.

Puma wasn’t as popular as Nike and Adidas, but Rihanna immediately made them culturally relevant.

And the numbers speak for themselves.

When her line of “Creeper” sneakers was released in September 2015, it sold out online in three hours.

As reported by Bloomberg Business, Puma’s 2015 fourth quarter sales totaled roughly $975 million, which was a 17.1% jump from its fourth quarter sales in 2014.

Puma's U.S. women's shoe sales jumped 40% in 2015, the first full year of the Rihanna partnership.

The Creeper model’s success led Footwear News to name it “Shoe of the Year” in 2016.

From the Creeper to the Fur Slides, Rihanna made waves with several collections and ushered in a new era of growth for the company.

Puma’s bold move paid off. But after four years, the partnership ended in 2018.

Puma Struggles and Rihanna’s Return

Chief Executive Bjorn Gulden praised Rihanna’s influence during their initial partnership, lauding her ability to sell sneakers unlike anything Puma had seen in the women’s category.

But in 2022, he left Puma to take over the helm at rival Adidas.

And after his departure, Puma lost momentum and struggled to compete.

Then in 2023, Puma announced it was reuniting with Rihanna in a simple statement: “She’s back.”

While many celebrity collaborations fail to move the needle, Rihanna has proven herself to be an invaluable asset, with her Fenty products driving a significant portion of Puma's revenue growth.

But today, Rihanna isn’t the same rising star who first signed with Puma.

Since 2018, she launched Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty, became the youngest self-made billionaire woman in the U.S., and performed in the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show of all time.

Beyond that, the footwear market has become crowded.

Nike and Adidas are no longer the only companies to worry about.

With the emergence of brands like ON Running and Hoka, competition is as stiff as ever.

Fenty x Puma in Barbados

To illustrate the collection’s importance, Fenty x Puma set up a celebration on Rihanna’s home island of Barbados.

This latest drop continues her tradition of pushing boundaries, fusing high-fashion aesthetics with athletic influences.

That said, the reception of this collection may be the most critical to Puma’s future growth.

The collection is highlighted by the Avanti LS sneaker, which fuses soccer cleats with street style, a nod to both sport and her Caribbean roots.

The bright, summery shoes hit stores yesterday.

From the Creeper sneaker to the Avanti LS, Rihanna's Fenty x Puma collections have consistently resonated with consumers.

Her global influence and ability to connect with consumers around the world have allowed the brand to tap into new audiences and trends.

If all goes well, her loyal supporters (Rihanna’s Navy) could ignite another turnaround for the sportswear giant.

Final Thoughts

By leveraging her influence, design instincts, and deep connection with her audience, Rihanna helped redefine how sportswear brands engage with celebrities.

Often, the brand-celebrity relationship can seem more impactful than it actually is—a sell-out sneaker doesn’t mean much to a company’s bottom line if it is produced in limited quantities.

But Rihanna has proven her worth time and time again.

In the competitive footwear market, this latest drop could be yet another example of Rihanna’s unique ability to set trends and redefine the industry.

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