Curry Brand, powered by Under Armour, is launching a seven-part footwear collection that brings the spirit of Sesame Street’s iconic Muppets to the basketball court. Stephen Curry, father to three kids under the age of 9, knew that partnering with Sesame Workshop—the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street—would be a natural extension of his recent efforts to celebrate Harlem and inspire young athletes.
“Curry Brand and Sesame Street, we preach the same message,” says Curry, a three-time NBA champion and two-time league MVP. “It’s about supporting all kids, especially those in underserved communities who are looking for an opportunity to be their best selves.”
“IT’S ABOUT SUPPORTING ALL KIDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WHO ARE LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THEIR BEST SELVES.”
Stephen Curry
A first-look at two upcoming Curry Flow 9 colorways, “Count It” (left) and “Play Big” (right).
Sesame Street has always modeled inclusivity in its storylines and diverse cast of Muppets, humans, and guest stars. The Sesame Street friends share in the joys of learning, laughing, and playing together. Curry’s personal connection to Sesame Street goes beyond parenting; he made a guest appearance on the show alongside his wife, Ayesha, 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,” says 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.”
Curry Brand’s “Street Pack” includes seven colorways based on Sesame Street’s indelible characters, who are celebrated with unique markings on the shoe’s tongue tab and a hint-of-character flag near the heel. The classic Sesame Street sign is also featured on the sock liner.
The “Count It” colorway, for example, brings to life Count von Count, with the shiny tongue tab reflecting the satin exterior of The Count’s cape and the shoe’s interior matching the cape’s colorful lining. “Talking Trash,” based on Oscar the Grouch, has a metallic tongue tab as a nod to the trash can, while the tongue tab on Cookie Monster’s “Taking Cookies” and other shoe tabs feature a fuzzy, fur-like feel.
“This collection is an opportunity for people to use their imaginations a little bit,” Curry says. “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.”
“THE SESAME STREET CHARACTERS PROVE THAT EVERYBODY BELONGS IN THE WORLD OF PLAY.”
Stephen Curry
The Curry Flow 9 builds on the success of the Curry Flow 8. This updated shoe features a fine-tuned UA Flow traction pattern and the introduction of UA Warp, Under Armour’s new-to-basketball upper technology that improves foot stability. UA Warp works in tandem with UA Flow, featuring supportive tapes that lock the foot onto the UA Flow midsole while allowing for natural movement.
Given the intricate structure of the shoe and the array of stylizations, Under Armour designers took great care to celebrate Sesame Street’s characters.
“The hardest part was making sure we achieved a sense of depth and sophistication in our designs,” says 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.”
UA Warp technology on the Curry Flow 9 “Play Big” colorway
UA Flow technology on the Curry Flow 9 “Count It” colorway
If you’re counting along at home, here’s Number 1 and 2: The first two releases in 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.
Additional “Street Pack” footwear colorways and apparel will be released in the ensuing months, so make sure to stay locked on @CurryBrand for the latest release dates and information.
