Unveiled during Game 1 of the NBA finals, the Puma Hali 1 Hibiscus marks a partnership between Salehe Bembury's organic style and Tyrese Haliburton's electric game.
Third game of the 2025 NBA finals. The tension is at its peak between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers. On the sidelines of this thrilling series, a silhouette catches everyone's attention: the Puma Hali 1, the first signature shoe of Tyrese Haliburton. Designed by Salehe Bembury, the Hali 1 does not just carry the name of the Pacers' point guard. The pair embodies his playing style, personality, and rise. While Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (freshly elected MVP) is the favorite in these finals, Haliburton and the Pacers have proven that they will not be overshadowed so easily. Nothing better than a bold new pair to demonstrate that. Through the Hali 1, Puma is not just signing a new model; the feline is marking a major strategic milestone.
In terms of design, the Hali 1 marks a turning point for Salehe Bembury, already recognized for his collaborations with New Balance, Crocs, and Moncler. This time, it is in the highly competitive arena of basketball performance that the designer ventures. And visually, the Hali 1 does not go unnoticed. The design features a biomorphic design: the technical mesh upper adopts a fluid and organic shape, structured by a wavy overlay that extends to the subtly integrated Puma logo with the material. Bembury, true to his visual codes, has not failed to inscribe his iconic fingerprint pattern. In terms of color, the designer's first signature silhouette mixes different shades of pink, named “Hibiscus.”
Photo credits: @pumahoops (Instagram)
But beyond aesthetics, the Hali 1 showcases real technical prowess. Textured midsole. Nitro cushioning. Semi-translucent outsole. It’s a pair for performance, not just to impress. Every detail is calibrated for the game. On the court, as well as off it, the Hali 1 is already ready to find its balance.
Haliburton, face of a new era at Puma
With this signature, Puma is not just betting on a performing player: the brand is betting on an ambassador of its vision for the future. Modern. Thoughtful. Expressive on the court. At just 24 years old, Tyrese Haliburton enters a rare dimension for a player of his generation: that of the signature athlete. Discreet, yet charismatic, elegant but unpredictable, Haliburton represents a new profile. Alongside figures like LaMelo Ball, he embodies the renewed DNA of the feline.
Photo credits: @salehebembury (Instagram)
By entrusting this project to Salehe Bembury, one of the most unique creators in recent years, the German brand asserts a clear strategy: merging performance and design culture. Where others rely on continuity, Puma dares to break the mold. Bembury, whose biomorphic approach often references the living, nature, or introspection, is not a traditional designer. He transforms objects into sculptural pieces, into visual testimonies. The Hali 1 is no exception.
The pair is designed around a player, but also around a narrative. A narrative of progression, precision, style. A narrative that is being written right now, possession after possession. On the most publicized stage of basketball, it is indeed a vision of the future that Salehe, Haliburton, and Puma share. The pair will be available this year, at a price of around €130.
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