Maestro's Sneakers
How the PUMA Archive delivered sneakers for the Hollywood movie "Maestro"
January 23, 2024How the PUMA Archive delivered sneakers for the Hollywood movie "Maestro"
January 23, 2024Our PUMA Archive delivered a classic low-profile sneaker for Hollywood star Bradley Cooper to wear in his biopic “Maestro”, which tells the story of legendary American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. “Maestro”, now available on Netflix, was nominated for 4 Golden Globes, 8 Critics Choice Awards and 2 SAG Awards. Find out more about how the Archive found “Maestro’s Sneakers” below.
The PUMA Archive is filled to the brim with amazing products from more than 75 years of history. It is then no wonder that they are sometimes contacted by film crews looking to recreate an authentic look. In early 2022, the PUMA Archive was contacted by the costume design team working on “Maestro”. They had an old picture of Leonard Bernstein sitting by a grand piano, wearing PUMA Sneakers.
The picture was too grainy to read the exact model he was wearing, but we knew the picture was from the 70s, early 80s, so we knew where to look. We suggested a few low-profile styles from that era to the costume design team and they picked the one they liked best.
Unfortunately, the Archive did not have the shoes in a size that fit Hollywood star Bradley Cooper. Time was ticking, because the production team in New York was about to start the shoot. However, a few phone calls later, it became clear that one of our manufacturing partners in Vietnam still had the old lasts of that style stored and could produce a custom-made pair in the required size at short notice.
The sneakers are featured in a scene in which Leonard Bernstein explains to an audience what artistic freedom means to him. “As death approaches, I believe an artist must cast off anything that is restraining him and an artist must be resolute in creating whatever time he has left, in absolute freedom,“ he says, seemingly also summarising his own intense life.
The sneakers are already being discussed on internet forums which debate the unique costume design of Maestro, with one user wondering where the “old style PUMAs” came from.
