Global sportswear brand PUMA has brought one of its signature international brand experiences to Dubai, tapping into the city’s growing influence as a creative and cultural hub.
The company this week launched the PUMA Lounge Dubai Edition, marking the first time the concept has appeared in the Middle East. Previously hosted in cities including Milan, Seoul and Paris, the Lounge is designed as an invitation-only space that connects the brand with creatives shaping local culture rather than focusing solely on traditional influencers.
In Dubai, that meant opening the doors to photographers, filmmakers, editors, artists and designers whose work drives visual language and style conversations across the region, both online and offline. PUMA said the city’s creative energy had been on the brand’s radar for some time, prompting the decision to bring the global format to the UAE.
Inside the Lounge, invited guests were given early access to a curated selection of global PUMA apparel and footwear that had not yet launched in the region. The pieces were sourced directly from PUMA’s international teams, offering attendees a preview of upcoming global releases.
The Dubai edition also marked the brand’s largest gifting lounge activation in the region to date, both in terms of scale and the breadth of products available. Over the two-day experience, the same items were styled in markedly different ways by attendees, highlighting the diversity of personal expression within the city’s creative community.
Local partnerships were central to the concept. The Lounge featured a customization station by Black Pearl Charms, a homegrown accessories brand, where guests created personalized sneaker designs. A coffee bar by Knot Bakehouse, an Emirati-owned business, also formed part of the space, reinforcing the event’s emphasis on supporting local creative entrepreneurs.
PUMA showcased a wide cross-section of its fashion and sport-style offerings, including Speedcat designs such as the Lux Ballet, Wedge and Cow Print, alongside Mostro silhouettes like the XC Prime and Fey Gorp sneakers, and the H-Street Premium line. Guests also explored key global collaborations, including PUMA x REPRESENT and the highly anticipated A$AP Rocky x PUMA collection.
The activation extended beyond the Lounge itself, with attendees wearing their exclusive PUMA pieces throughout the Sole DXB weekend, one of the region’s leading culture and streetwear events.
PUMA said the Dubai Lounge was not intended as a one-off local event, but as the adaptation of a globally recognised concept shaped by the talent, creativity and cultural momentum of the city.
