Chris Vella - Puma Running

A new chapter for PUMA Running

Just over 5 years ago, PUMA had tremendous athletic heritage and an authetic position in track & field, but it lacked a consistent identity for the modern performance runner. Our challenge wasn't simply to design better-looking shoes. It was to create products that performed, establish a recognizable visual language, and earn trust over time.

As PUMA Running quickly evolved, so did my role. My focus expanded from designing footwear to shaping franchises, defining creative direction and translating innovation into meaningful product experiences. I strived to build consistency across our portfolio, developing designers, and aligning cross-functional teams around a shared vision.

The turning point came when this shared design ethos created consistency, yet allowed individual products to break out in the market. We established principles for how PUMA communicates speed, cushioning, stability, and trail. We created a visual relationship between performance and purpose, allowing runners to understand the experience before taking their first step. The result was a product ecosystem that felt cohesive without becoming repetitive. One where every shoe has its own role while contributing to a recognizable brand identity.

Today, my greatest strength is connecting vision with execution. I thrive at identifying future opportunities, building clear creative frameworks, bringing diverse teams together, and creating environments where the best ideas can flourish, often beyond what any one designer could achieve alone. By balancing consistency with individuality, we created a system that could evolve with changing athlete needs while remaining authentic to the brand.

This story is still being written. The strongest chapter of PUMA Running is already in development, and I'm privileged to help lead its creative vision. Together with an incredibly talented team, we're redefining how performance is expressed through design and building the next generation of products that will shape the future of the brand.