Curry Brandâs new Curry Flow 9 shoe will release on Nov. 19 in Sesame-inspired colorways that celebrate the showâs characters
Curry Brand, powered by Under Armour, is launching a seven-part footwear collection that brings the spirit of Sesame Streetâs iconic Muppets to the basketball court. Stephen Curry, father to three kids under the age of 9, knew that partnering with Sesame Workshopâthe nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Streetâwould be a natural extension of his recent efforts to celebrate Harlem and inspire young athletes.
âCurry Brand and Sesame Street, we preach the same message,â says Curry, a three-time NBA champion and two-time league MVP. âItâs about supporting all kids, especially those in underserved communities who are looking for an opportunity to be their best selves.â
âITâS ABOUT SUPPORTING ALL KIDS, ESPECIALLY THOSE IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES WHO ARE LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE THEIR BEST SELVES.â
Stephen Curry
A first-look at two upcoming Curry Flow 9 colorways, âCount Itâ (left) and âPlay Bigâ (right).
Sesame Street has always modeled inclusivity inâŻitsâŻstorylines and diverse cast of Muppets, humans, and guest stars.âŻThe Sesame Street friends share in the joys of learning, laughing, and playing together. Curryâs 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.
âWe love the way the Curry Brand promotes healthy, active lifestyles, and teamwork,â says Gabriela Arenas, vice president of global licensing at Sesame Workshop. âItâs been so much fun combining Curry Brandâs commitment to play and Under Armourâs innovation technology with Sesame Streetâs iconic characters in this vibrant and playful collaboration with multigenerational appeal.â
Curry Brandâs âStreet Packâ includes seven colorways based on Sesame Streetâs indelible characters, who are celebrated with unique markings on the shoeâs tongue tab and a hint-of-character flag near the heel. The classic Sesame Street sign is also featured on the sock liner.
The âCount Itâ colorway, for example, brings to life Count von Count, with the shiny tongue tab reflecting the satin exterior of The Countâs cape and the shoeâs interior matching the capeâs colorful lining. âTalking Trash,â based on Oscar the Grouch, has a metallic tongue tab as a nod to the trash can, while the tongue tab on Cookie Monsterâs âTaking Cookiesâ and other shoe tabs feature a fuzzy, fur-like feel.
âThis collection is an opportunity for people to use their imaginations a little bit,â Curry says. âYou 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.â
âTHE SESAME STREET CHARACTERS PROVE THAT EVERYBODY BELONGS IN THE WORLD OF PLAY.â
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 Armourâs 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 Streetâs characters.
âThe hardest part was making sure we achieved a sense of depth and sophistication in our designs,â says Spencer Hawkins, a senior footwear designer at Under Armour. âWe didnât just say, âElmo is red, so the whole shoe is red.â 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.â
UA Warp technology on the Curry Flow 9 âPlay Bigâ colorway
UA Flow technology on the Curry Flow 9 âCount Itâ colorway
If youâre counting along at home, hereâs Number 1 and 2: The first two releases in Curry Brandâs Sesame Street collection will be the âCount Itâ and âPlay Bigâ colorwaysâin celebration of Count von Count and Big Birdâdropping in North America on Nov. 19 for $160 USD.
Additional âStreet Packâ 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.