Solange’s Latest Campaign Raises The Bar On What Diversity Looks Like

Solange Knowles’ third collection with Puma, created in conjunction with Knowles’ record label/creative collective, Saint Heron, is more than just really, really good. It's next-level. The campaign for the new sneakers, which debuted this week, is called “Word to the Woman,” and features 14 awesome ladies who are diverse in all sorts of ways. They hold a wide variety of jobs — a psychiatrist, a DJ, a clinical-research coordinator — and they represent all sorts of body types, backgrounds, and personal style preferences. But perhaps the most striking thing about the campaign, which was shot by J. Quazi King, is that it features almost entirely women of color. The casting, coupled with nude-colored outfits, shows how well the collection’s hues complement a wide variety of skin tones.

The palette includes a pale, icy gray-blue; deep, minty green; a mustard we actually want to wear; and a punchy cherry red. The styling also echoes Solange's recent love of monochromatic neutral hues in structural shapes. Also of note: the ultra-textured finish on some of the styles, which is proving to be a trend for footwear.

“When I look at the line, it feels very Solange, designed in deeply interesting hues that I could see being worn by every single one of her friends,” says Cleo Wade, who’s one of the kickass women in the campaign. “They’re these wildly talented women in a kaleidoscope of colors. It’s just so dope!” says Wade, giving props to Solange’s “incredible understanding of color theory and the powerful tribe of women surrounding her in her life.”

The first half of the two-part collection is available at Puma as well as at Six02.com. In addition to helping whip up the collection, Solange art-directed the campaign and did interviews with all 14 women, which will appear in videos released between the two collection launches. Now excuse us while we flip through the campaign images for the 4,207th time this week.