Recently I'm working on the Tracksuits kits as worn by the team USA track team during the 1968 Olympic game in Mexico City, Mexico. I was excited to learn about the iconic Tommie Smith story and
his Puma shoes. As not only a winner of an Olympic medal in 1968 but also as a cultural activist, here i'm sharing what I'm learn about Tommie Smith Puma sneakers.
2018, Puma 50th anniversary celebrations of its iconic Suede silhouette and on this day in 1968 at the Summer Games October 16th in Mexico City, American athlete Tommie Smith broke the 200m world record in PUMA spikes, who then walked towards the podium to receive his medal, he had in his left hand one of his Puma suede shoe’s revealing him wearing black socks to further protest that black lives mattered. This here became an iconic moment in sporting history. For America, the year 1968 was the year people were fighting for human rights around the world.
Tommie Smith Puma Suede X
For the first part of the Tommie Smith Puma sneakers, Puma tribute Tommie Smith in the 40th Anniversary of the history on August 2008 with Tommie Smith x Puma collection pack which features four different Suedes, each symbolizing different parts of Tommie Smith’s legendary Olympic run in ‘68. Coming with colorways, red, grey, black and brown/gold. All over print of the fist raised in the sky, which represented the Black Power Movement as a gloss pattern over the suede. Tommie Smith who won gold in the 200-meter dash at the Mexico 1968 Olympics, performed the Black Power Salute along with bronze medalist John Carlos when receiving their medals.
Graphic Elements
The Tommie Smith Puma Suides with a repeating fist monogram along the upper as well as include graphic logo golden accents.
