The new collab between PV Sindhu and PUMA delivers a sporty style
Smashing boundaries both on and off court, Sports Brand PUMA India has just made its biggest serve yet! The brand recently welcomed PV Sindhu, one of India’s most celebrated badminton players, as its newest brand ambassador, in style. Upon taking the court at the 2025 Badminton India Open in New Delhi, Sindhu debuted in a voluminous, custom-made, black PUMA jacket layered over a court-dress, and paired with Accelerate Nitro Indoor Court Shoes by PUMA on feet. Completing her look, Sindhu also carried a customised black PUMA bag, adorned with sport-inspired shoelaces, baddy-themed charms and miniatures, including a PV doll and a racquet-shaped face mirror.
A customised black PUMA bag, comes with sport-inspired shoelaces, baddy-themed charms and miniatures
PUMA's tribute jacket for Sindhu is a result of the brand appointing Rhycni, a contemporary Indian homegrown brand launched in 2022, to style one of its existing black jackets. Together, the two brands reimagined the classic black PUMA jacket, incorporating ruched design on the sleeves. This unique feature allows the sleeves to transform into different styles by simply adjusting the strings around the shoulders and arms, adding a versatile and innovative edge to the design.
“I’ve always pushed boundaries on the court, and now, I’m thrilled to push those boundaries off the court as well,” says PV Sindhu. “My partnership with PUMA will create a platform to bring a whole new dimension of style to the badminton court, merging sports and fashion for the first time in the country. I feel, what we wear is more than just an outfit—it’s a statement and a great tool of self-expression. I love athleisure, it’s an everyday essential for me. With PUMA’s versatile range in my wardrobe now, I am excited to mix and match and create looks that are both functional and stylish.”
“At Rhycni, we thrive on the idea of spontaneity, crafting designs fuelled by instinct and raw creativity,“ says Rhycni, the co-creator of the jacket, “Every piece is a burst of inspiration, unplanned but with real purpose behind it. Collaborating with PUMA for PV Sindhu has been a thrilling experience. PUMA’s ability to blend performance, innovation, and style really resonates with our approach, making this partnership the perfect platform for creative experimentation. The inspiration behind the jacket is Sindhu—a legendary athlete who embodies femininity in a way that’s subtle yet powerful. We love how our design, and the fabric capture her balance of strength and softness, bringing our shared vision with PUMA to life.”
A fashion statement on the court, and off.
With her trailblazing journey and unstoppable spirit, PV Sindhu has cemented her place as a global icon, becoming the most-followed badminton athlete on Instagram with an impressive 4 million fans. As the recipient of numerous prestigious accolades, including the Arjuna Award, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan, Sindhu continues to inspire excellence both on and off the court. By teaming up with Sindhu, PUMA India is reimagining and redefining badminton, not just as a sport but as a movement rooted in innovation, inclusivity, and bold, cutting-edge style.
In India, Badminton is a vibe! From matches in local lanes to the roar of fans at national tournaments, it’s become the ultimate cultural flex, especially for the youth and millennials. It is the second-most played sport in the country, after cricket, and has seen a remarkable 65% rise in active participation over the past four years. This fast-paced, adrenaline-packed game has everyone hooked, bringing people together across age and gender. The partnership with Sindhu reflects PUMA’s bold vision to unlock badminton’s untapped potential as a high-performance sport in India and build a thriving badminton ecosystem.
PV Sindhu in head to toe PUMA
To cater to the growing popularity, PUMA will also be launching an exclusive badminton-inspired collection for enthusiasts later this year. From high-performance gear to sleek badminton shoes, the range will cater to players and fans alike, combining top-notch functionality with heavy dose of design.
PUMA has been a driving force in elevating sports culture and championing women in sports across India by collaborating with athletes from cricket, boxing, football, para sports, and badminton. The brand’s commitment to this narrative goes beyond the game itself, celebrating its women athletes as icons of strength and individuality. PUMA’s groundbreaking collaborations include those with cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur, boxing legend MC Mary Kom, para shooter Avani Lekhara, and most recently cricketer Richa Ghosh.
Lifestyle Insider is a kind of junction point, connecting people with diverse interests that touch on the more luxurious aspects of lifestyle – fashion, design, travel, food and spirits, art, watches and jewellery, cars, yachts, and aviation, and technology. People today don’t fit into boxes and categories. In our individual ways, we are interested in diverse themes, products, and the challenges that face our world today. You will judge how well this effort of mine caters to your passions and proclivities.
Lifestyle Insider is a showcase of all that is beautiful and luxe. Behind every creation, is a designer, chef, entrepreneur, or a design maison. I have delved into my own appreciation for objetsde luxe that I have admired over the years – be it a love of fashion from the world’s top Parisian and Italian fashion maisons and their ’90s muses, or the care that goes into sari and Indian textile collections in my own family. Growing up on four continents, as the daughter of a former Indian Ambassador, I’ve seen a remarkable array of historic places and met a myriad people. My aim is to bring my world view into this website, a curation of what I find particularly stunning, unique, and newsworthy.
It’s an exciting time for brands all over the world. With change comes opportunity. With the global ‘reset’ and uncertainty on many fronts, there is a chance to write a new script. Let’s be those pioneers.
A bit about me:
A luxury and fashion journalist with 25 years of experience in publishing and magazine journalism, I have edited some of India’s top fashion and luxury magazines. I got my BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and went on to receive my Master’s in English and French from the University of Strasbourg, France. I have also studied German and Film. I live in Gurugram, India, and look forward to once again exploring our world with a new-found freedom.
Mail us @ lifestyleinsiderindia@gmail.com