Stephen Curry pulled inspiration from Sesame Street for his latest footwear collection. Through his Curry Brand powered by Under Armour, the 3x NBA champion has released an assortment of sneakers referencing the show’s beloved puppets in seven different styles. The collection also partners Curry with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind the television show.
“Curry Brand and Sesame Street, we preach the same message,” said the father of three in a press release. “It’s about supporting all kids, especially those in underserved communities who are looking for an opportunity to be their best selves.”
The footwear collection is not Curry’s first time working professionally with Cookie Monster, Elmo, and the rest of the crew. He and his wife Ayesha Curry joined an episode of Sesame Street to teach children about the importance of sharing and eating a healthy breakfast.
“We love the way the Curry Brand promotes healthy, active lifestyles, and teamwork,” added Gabriela Arenas, vice president of global licensing at Sesame Workshop. “It’s been so much fun combining Curry Brand’s commitment to play and Under Armour’s innovation technology with Sesame Street’s iconic characters in this vibrant and playful collaboration with multigenerational appeal.”
The Curry Flow 9 introduces seven colorways drawing direct inspiration from the Sesame Street characters. For example, with Count von Count in mind, the “Count It” colorway has a tongue tab reflecting the satin of the character’s cape. The “Talking Trash” colorway, based on Oscar the Grouch, has a metallic tongue tab as a nod to the trash can.
“The hardest part was making sure we achieved a sense of depth and sophistication in our designs,” explained Spencer Hawkins, a senior footwear designer at Under Armour. “We didn’t just say, ‘Elmo is red, so the whole shoe is red.’ We played with a lot of different tonalities of red, and we brought in hints of orange to represent the nose. Every single colorway is a unique story celebrating not only the unique physical attributes of the characters but also what each character can teach us about building a better, more inclusive neighborhood.”
“This collection is an opportunity for people to use their imaginations a little bit,” Curry stated. “You can really show your personality through the way that you play. I love to be creative on the court, try new things, and show different sides of myself. The Sesame Street characters prove that everybody belongs in the world of play.”
Curry’s first two releases in the Curry Brand’s Sesame Street collection will be the “Count It” and “Play Big” colorways—in celebration of Count von Count and Big Bird—dropping in North America on Nov. 19 for $160 USD.