From $975M in sales to a subtle farewell: Rihanna concludes her historic partnership with FENTY x PUMA
The sneaker industry’s most significant celebrity collaboration has come to an end. Sources have confirmed that Rihanna and PUMA have ended their partnership, as the multi-talented mogul has decided not to renew the recent contract that revived FENTY x PUMA in March 2023. A revealing street-style moment may have already hinted at this announcement.
A Collaboration That Transformed the Landscape
In December 2014, PUMA appointed Rihanna as the creative director of its women’s division, aiming to gain traction within the realm of hype culture. What ensued transformed the landscape of celebrity sneaker partnerships. The FENTY x PUMA Creeper, a platform variation of PUMA’s iconic Suede, sold out immediately upon its release. It was awarded Footwear News’ Shoe of the Year in 2016 and contributed to a significant increase in PUMA’s fourth-quarter 2015 sales, reaching approximately $975 million, marking a 17 percent rise compared to the previous year. After four fashion shows in New York and Paris, the original era closed 2018, leaving a lasting impact on the women’s sneaker market.
The 2.0 Era: Reliable, Yet Unremarkable
The revival, introduced with the succinct “She’s Back” press release after Rihanna’s record-breaking Super Bowl halftime performance, commenced in September 2023 with the football-inspired Avanti silhouette. In the span of more than two years, the partnership yielded over twenty sneaker releases, featuring the Creeper Phatty, the Cat Cleat sandal, and a collaboration tied to the Smurfs movie. The final release came in October 2025, featuring cleat-inspired kitten heel slip-ons and new Avanti LS-X colorways. Although the second chapter produced a wide range of content, it failed to regain the vibrant and electrifying energy that characterized the first chapter.
The sighting of Nike coincided with a family split.
The informal announcement emerged not through a press release, but rather from a sidewalk in New York City. Paparazzi recently captured images of Rihanna sporting a pair of Jacquemus x Nike Moon Shoes—a direct rival to her then-active brand partnership. The image resonated deeply with someone who has consistently demonstrated loyalty to her active partners. Industry reports indicate that the split is completely amicable and merely a consequence of the contract reaching its natural conclusion. The departure seems to involve the family as well: A$AP Rocky’s creative collaboration with PUMA is also concluding, with his final joint designs expected to hit retailers this spring.
What follows next
With Savage X Fenty and Fenty Beauty flourishing under the LVMH umbrella, Rihanna is not in a hurry to secure another footwear deal. PUMA is shifting its celebrity strategy to focus on ROSÉ and designer Salehe Bembury, who is currently developing a TRVL WEAR collection for the 2026 World Cup. Regardless of whether Rihanna ultimately establishes a partnership with Nike, creates something entirely on her own, or simply chooses to wear whatever she prefers, her impact on women’s sneaker culture is already indelible.
