Puma expands metaverse offer with Black Station 2 launch

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jun 14, 2023

Puma is growing its Black Station metaverse destination with an “immersive digital retail experience” that sees it reimagining omnichannel shopping through the metaverse platform and pushing it to become more mainstream.

It’s now launched Black Station 2, a new metaverse platform that “bridges the digital and physical worlds, allowing users to purchase phygital footwear”.

The original Black Station only debuted last September during New York Fashion Week as a “dynamic and interactive destination where users could view and purchase exclusive digital collectibles that could then be redeemed for physical Puma sneakers”. 

Iteration number two “is an expanded immersive experience that features two distinct and explorable ‘worlds’, each revealing new innovative footwear designs,” we’re told. 

The brand’s community will be able to “not only explore these worlds but gain access to never-seen-before phygital footwear”.

The first ‘world’, dubbed Unkai, is inspired by Japan’s Shibuya, “whose bright colours and energetic elements translate directly onto the footwear”. Unter, the second world, is inspired by Berlin’s club culture with design elements that reflect the underground club scene. 

The first footwear release will be the Fast-RB that features four “optimally placed Nitro pods and three PWRPlates, delivering a unique bouncy running sensation unlike anything else on the market”.

They feature “an innovative nitrogen-infused foam technology offering superior responsiveness in an extremely lightweight package”.

Throughout Black Station 2, Puma Pass NFT holders will be able to buy collectibles linked to its “to-be-produced” physical product as well as digital collectible NFTs.

It also said that as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations, it’s highlighting its growing web3 footprint “to be an always-on retail shopping experience. This growing metaverse-based platform will continue to complement the company’s global e-commerce and brick and mortar shopping formats”.

Additionally, developments to help encourage general sneaker enthusiasts into Puma’s web3 spaces mean it’s it including usage of a credit card for Black Station 2 in addition to the current cryptocurrency payment capabilities.