Longtime Puma collaborator and Roc Nation executive Emory Jones likes to describe sneakers in terms of cars — since, in a sense, sneakers are your first car, a vehicle for getting around before you can access four wheels.
So how would Jones describe the new Puma Fade Nitro, his latest sneaker released with the German athletic giant? “Imagine a Mercedes-Benz with an AMG kit.”
Emory Jones holding his Puma Fade Nitro sneaker.
Sam Cones (Shotbycones)
Comfort is and has always been a driving force for Jones when it comes to sneakers, as he explained to FN the same day he attended a Puma event in Brooklyn where the brand would reveal its international soccer team kits for the World Cup. Jones’ Fade Nitro, which received a limited-edition friends and family release, is a dark gray running shoe with Puma’s nitrogen-infused foam.
“It’s chunky without being chunky, still a sneaker, the cut lines was just perfect to play in,” Jones said of the silhouette. As for the reasoning behind the colorway, he spoke to its versatility: “I’ve been saying for the last 15 years, gray is the new black.”
Often on the go, travel was also a source of inspiration for the Fade Nitro, as Jones sought to make a shoe that could minimize space used in luggage and overall make the travel experience easier. The goal was to create an “everyday functional” sneaker that can fit into any aspect of life.
Jones told FN, “The reason why brands like Hoka and On are winning, it ain’t that they want you to go running. They know you want to be comfortable.” He noted that New Balance and the “dad shoe” paved the way for Hoka’s and On’s success.
Reflecting on trends, Jones believes that the slim shoe frenzy is really nothing new — despite their current dominance, they’ve always been around. “For me, when you think about low-profile sneakers, it takes you back to why we have a sneaker culture. Court-style sneakers are really practically low-profile without being called low-profile.”
The court style will be featured in Jones’ next Puma drop, which will spotlight velour.
Emory Jones holding his Puma Fade Nitro sneaker.
Sam Cones (Shotbycones)
Jones is also behind Puma’s Walk With Us initiative, which gathers C-suite executives for walks in various cities. He was inspired by the sense of balance, clarity and creativity he found from going on walks during the COVID-19 pandemic. He wants to bring people together and offer them that same opportunity to reset and cut through the noise — plus the walks quietly showcase the comfort of Puma footwear.
The walks allow people to experience a city in a way they never have before while also being able to make new friends or network. Jones described, “Most people live in New York City, have been here, ain’t never really walked New York City in a certain kind of way. Imagine meeting at my office going from 26th Street [and] 10th Avenue, going all the way down through the city but then come up the West Side Highway as the sun sets — with 50 people that you ain’t never met before and y’all having conversations.”
Emory Jones’ Puma Fade Nitro sneaker.
Sam Cones (Shotbycones)
Jones’ connection with Puma goes back to the second grade, when he started trading sneakers with his best friend. He’s now worked with the brand for 13 years, and though he has no official title, he isn’t seeking one out.
He explained how the working relationship entails being able to communicate with executives like the president and chief marketing officer, the designers and the marketing team. He also doesn’t mind taking on any task to help the company, no matter how small.
“If I gotta pick up the trash today to make us look good, I don’t have no problem with that,” Jones shared. “And then I’m gonna be in the board room and can lead the whole [meeting] dealing with a room full of creatives, a room full of execs, a room full of talent. But then being able to be in the middle, help all these components understand each other.”
Emory Jones holding his Puma Fade Nitro sneaker.
Courtesy of Puma
Throughout the decade-plus experience, Jones has seen about three or four chief executive officers lead the company, but his presence has remained. For him, the key to his longevity at Puma — which brought on its latest CEO Arthur Hoeld in July and has undergone other leadership changes lately — is authenticity.
“Even in this moment where we’re in the company, and a lot of things going right and wrong, I think for me it’s the perfect opportunity because my only job is to be me. I gotta go in there and be the Emory I’ve been, and that’s what’s gonna help me navigate these next few years, or whoever else comes — that’s what makes my relationship special with them already. Waking up every day being the best me, walking into the room, bringing that best me into the room.”
