Salehe Bembury FulfilledHIS CHILDHOOD DREAMWith The PUMA Hali 1

Andrew Rizzo/Sneaker News: You posted on your IG story that you got in contact with Tyrese by cold calling him. Can you describe that first link-up?

Salehe Bembury: After signing with PUMA and deciding Tyrese was the right athlete for a collaboration, I had to cold call him to pitch ourselves, which is something I’ve never done before.
 
He was open to the idea so I met with him in Indiana where we had a lot of conversations about PUMA, myself, and how this could be a great opportunity for all parties involved. Ultimately he was on board and we were able to get a contract signed and begin the design process for his first-ever signature shoe.

The Hali 1 had one of the more memorable debuts for a signature shoe. How was it seeing the entire NBA universe talk about your sneaker?
 
Seeing my first ever basketball shoe debuted during game one of the NBA Finals was a surreal moment and I thought that I would become emotional seeing Tyrese play in them but the thing that really got me was seeing Tyrese stretch and warm up in the shoes ahead of the game. I wept knowing my childhood dreams had been accomplished and having such a positive reaction to my designs is all I could’ve asked for.
 
Most of your work has been on the lifestyle end, but the Hali 1 is a shoe designed for world class athletes and meant to be really beaten in. In what ways does the design approach change or stay the same?
 
I’ve always been known for lifestyle and fashion, but it was a welcome challenge to go down the path of performance-first, utility and function. I really leaned on PUMA’s development team to create a shoe that not only was different from what’s already seen on court, but something that was equally as new for PUMA. My biggest focus was shape and technology, which is typically a later factor in my usual design process – it was fun to break away from my standard routine.

How would you say the Hali 1 fits into the footwear aesthetic you’ve established as a whole?
 
This collaboration is different from others I’ve worked on because it’s not a Salehe x Tyrese shoe. Tyrese is truly at the heart of the design process so I was more concerned about bringing his ideas to life than incorporating my usual aesthetics. That said, we were still able to add a visual cue to my involvement through the organic waves and textures seen on the shoe.
 
You’ve said the Hali 1 marks a full circle moment for you. Can you expand on that?
 
Working with an NBA athlete and a legacy brand like PUMA has been my dream since I was 8 years old. Being able to design a shoe for such a powerhouse athlete like Tyrese and seeing him bring the sneakers to the podium after winning game one has been such a testament to my career. I feel like I’ve really accomplished what I’ve been working towards for so long and the partnership with PUMA and Tyrese allows me to keep dreaming even bigger.
 

You’re a well-documented Knicks fan. How is it working with the opps? You guys do any friendly trash talking?
 
As much as I’m a Knicks fan, I couldn’t choose a fandom over pursuing my dream career. I’ve also always been a fan of Tyrese’s, regardless of his team, and this collaboration has allowed us to become friends and have a really positive relationship.
 
We do love to joke around and give each other grief for our team alliances but this partnership will always take priority over my fandom.