ASAP Rocky knows how to make an entrance.
On the night of Nov. 17, dirt bikes ripped through the street ahead of a black SUV in the Fremont East District of Las Vegas. Rocky, dressed in a sweatsuit mimicking an F1 driver’s coveralls and red fabric hood meant to look like a racing helmet, hung out of the window hyping up the crowd that had gathered at a pop-up to celebrate his first Puma x F1 apparel collection.
Pandemonium ensued before the vehicle disappeared into a fenced-in parking lot. After a few minutes passed, ASAP Rocky emerged from the gated area to mingle with the crowd and pose with the various models that were positioned around the pavement in pieces from his Puma x F1 capsule. As if the crowd wasn’t excited enough already, Rihanna arrived soon after to support her partner’s newest venture. In a city rife with activities celebrating F1’s first annual Las Vegas Grand Prix, a gas station on the outskirts of the Vegas strip was the place to be. ASAP Rocky’s era with Puma was starting off with a bang.
“I’m so glad how it turned out,” ASAP Rocky told Complex during a sitdown interview later that night. “The overall exection, everything, I’m fucking thrilled.”
ASAP Rocky and Puma refurbished an abandoned gas station for the pop-up. Gas station kiosks were retooled to act as displays for items like airbrushed long sleeve T-shirts and pre-distressed balaclavas. Two garages were also transformed. One became a photo area complete with quads and stacks of tires to pose on. The other was a customization station where select pieces like jeans and tote bags could be embroidered with special edition racing patches. Traditional neon signage promoting Rocky’s Puma x F1 project was also positioned throughout the space.
