Why would PUMA, one of the world's leading sports brands, be interested in collaborating with Hamzeh Alfarahneh's 18-month-old SA design brand, Not Just a Comb, which has, in turn, collaborated with an NPO?
Firstly because each pair of trainers in the resulting collection, Not Just A Puma, are unique. They're adorned with embellishments designed by Alfarahneh and beaded by women who live in Cape Town townships. Secondly, collaboration pushes creative boundaries and innovation. And third, collaborating partners help both parties reach new markets.
But, for Alfarahneh, there was another reason to create a capsule range of objects using PUMA shoes as a starting point. He wanted to explore the question: In a world full of devastation can humans find a common ground? "In my opinion, the answer is love," he says.
"The design of each shoe represents a theme that talks about the various types of love and how we can use the concept to build bridges and find commonalities," Alfarahneh says.
For the Love Rainbow pair (above) he designed a pattern made out of organic-shaped, hand-beaded patterns that mimic that of marble veins. The design, he says, speaks to the various facets of love which includes motherly (teal), passionately (pink), brotherly (mango), romantically (red) and neighbourly (silver).
The Pont des Art Et Tokyo pair pays tribute to two of the most iconic romantic landmarks in popular culture: the Pont des Art bridge in Paris, and Tokyo during the cherry-blossom season. There is a tradition of couples leaving locks on Paris's love bridge to signify their everlasting bond. Tokyo's cherry blossom season is romanticised both in literature and in film.
NOT JUST A PUMA
Alfarahneh launched his first beading project, Not Just a Comb, part design project, part outreach programme, in November 2017. It is a growing collection of hand-embellished hair combs inspired by a conversation with Danish-French artist Thierry Geoffroy, AKA Colonel.
He curated a series of exhibition events, Emergency Room, inviting artists to consider themselves as emergencies and to reflect on and exhibit an artwork about this, many using found objects. Events have been held in many cities across the world, including Johannesburg.
Alfarahneh says: "His work made me look past ordinary ways of manufacturing and to ready-made objects that can be re-purposed. The comb came from a conversation I had with creative director Tammy Tinker, who at the time was looking for potential products for the GUILD design shop".
For the beading, Alfarahneh works with the non-profit organisation MonkeyBiz. Kate Carlyle, GM of the NPO, says: "We're always keen to take on new challenges and love working on Not Just a Comb. Standards are very high, and Hamzeh is very particular."
Monkey Biz works with about 300 women for various beading projects, which find their way across the globe. The organisation helps its members open bank accounts and they are invited to join a burial fund.
While the NPO empowers women financially, it also focuses on reviving the art of beadwork. Carlyle says: "We run workshops and encourage people to explore their creativity with beading: to do something completely off the wall."
Inspired by Not Just a Comb, PUMA SA wanted to support Alfarahneh's initiative. Alfarahneh proposed a new idea: turning an everyday item of clothing - shoes - into something with depth and a story. The capsule range of shoes consists of four embellished styles of PUMA: Ignite, PUMA Ignite, Netfit and PUMA Hybrid.
Alfarahneh was born in Jordan and raised in the Middle East but moved to Cape Town in 2011 after falling in love with the city while on holiday. After studying fashion design at Fedisa, Alfarahneh launched a brand producing high-end, limited edition accessories and bags made by third-generation leather craftsmen in Africa. He is working with Cape Town's A4 Foundation, an NPO dedicated to the arts in southern Africa.
Alfarahneh loves designing. He especially loves "the conceptual phase because it's the most freeing and creative part of what I do. The sky is the limit in terms of coming up with ideas," he says.
• Part of the proceeds from Not Just A Puma will go to benefit Anna Foundation's women empowerment programme...