Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 1:48PM Workbook: New York State of Mind for PUMA
Nathan Lee Colkitt's design for PUMA's SoHo store captures the city's spirit and remains true to the company's brand. Photograph Garrett Rowland/Courtesy Colkitt & Co.Architect Nathan Lee Colkitt’s relationship with PUMA goes back nearly a decade. “I moved to LA in 2004, working for Stephen Kanner, the architect who came up with the initial design for the first PUMA stores in world,” he recalls. Hired initially to work on high-rise projects, economic realities put those on hold. “I got moved into the retail department and assigned to the PUMA account. I had never seen that side of things. It was fast paced—the closest thing to instant gratification you can get in architecture.” Colkitt became the department head in short order and traveled around the world as the brand expanded. He ultimately struck out on his own, establishing Colkitt & Co, but kept in touch with PUMA.
