puma x skepta | monochrome uniform and the new skope forever low

Puma and Skepta are back in class, dressed in their signature black uniforms and earning full marks. For their latest drop, the grime icon and the German sportswear giant channel school-day staples into something sharper: a head-to-toe blackout collection with military-precise detailing and not a scrap of slack. 

‘Skopes or school shoes?’ writes the British-Nigerian rapper over and over on the chalkboard, like a detention line with a twist. That question sets the tone for Skepta’s new Puma drop: the Skope Forever Low.

A low-top black leather trainer, the Skope Forever Low comes with a hiking sole, chunky rope laces, contrast tabs, and a silver tongue badge. It’s the epitome of class president energy, standing out as the front and centre of attention in the collection. Despite shrinking to a single stitch, the Formstrip remains a recognisable and iconic element of the shoe. 

The rest of the line follows suit, including a black hoodie, black tee, and black cap, all stamped with Skepta’s new graphic and finished with his signature eye for mood and material. Leather gloves make occasional appearances, either tucked into shorts or poking out of pockets.

Skepta’s been doing this for a while now. Not just the music, though there’s that too (Mercury Prize, defining albums, era-defining singles). He’s created a creative world of his own, which includes Big Smoke Corp, MAINS, his new label with Jammer, and most recently, ‘Tribal Mark’, a short film he directed through his own production company.

The PUMA x Skepta collection drops first at Big Smoke Festival in London on 9–10 August. Global release lands 14 August online and at select stores.

photography. courtesy of Puma
words. Gennaro Costanzo