ASOS is going the extra step of working with the labels it represents by creating a collection—the ASOS Black x Puma range will likely be the start of other ventures.
   While ASOS has worked with labels before in terms of distribution—American Apparel sees ASOS strategically—the Puma deal comprises a capsule of 60 sportswear pieces.
   The products feature embossed rubberized branding with the ASOS Black x Puma logo, and the launch itself shows the company’s ambition. It’s not a distribution partnership but one which sets the scene for ASOS as a brand in its own right.
   The collection blends technical elements with classic shapes, mixing function with great design.
   The look book was photographed by Jamie Morgan, using young artists. The film follows on from this, with the São Paulo art scene as a backdrop.
   The Os Pixadores graffiti collective stars in the campaign. The collective, made up on gangs of five to six, uses street art, bombing the city and working at night. The style of graffiti, pixacão, derives from political slogans painted on government buildings in Brazil to protest its dictatorship.
   The artists have become legendary in the city, and ASOS sees them as being ‘perfect ambassadors’ for the new range’s innovative designs.
   The Pixadores were best known for a protest during the 2008 São Paulo Biennale, where they painted on the Pavilion’s blank walls. One activist, Caroline Pivetta de Mota, was arrested.
   The film has been made by director Ben Newman, who previously shot an Urban Tour campaign featuring roller-bladers in Paris.
   The campaign encourages people to be creative by sharing their art, hashtagged on Twitter or via Instagram with #Beacreator. The film and collection will be launched on September 25.

This post has been sponsored by ASOS.