“The Stitch Gawd” designed and will present the shoes to Benny during the Bulls’ home game on February 27 alongside last year’s shoe creator and internationally renowned artist and designer, Don C
New York, NY – February 27, 2024 - Klarna, the AI powered global payments network and shopping assistant, announced today its latest collaboration with Chicago-based designer Emma “The Stitch Gawd” McKee, who will design a new special edition sneaker for the Bulls’ beloved mascot, Benny The Bull, as part of Klarna’s multi-year partnership as the official shopping partner of the legendary Chicago Bulls. “The Stitch Gawd” will present the shoes to Benny at The Bulls’ February 27 home game against the Detroit Pistons.
“The Stitch Gawd,” who has worked with Chicago icons including Chance the Rapper and several Bulls stars in the past, will design the third iteration of Benny The Bull’s shoes facilitated by Klarna after being selected to carry on the tradition by last year's designer and Bulls Creative Strategy and Design Advisor, Don C. The shoes represent a tribute to the city, the original Chicago Stadium and the history that was made within the arena, with three stripes on each side to represent the first three NBA Championships won within that building. In addition to the stripes, McKee built in four stars on each shoe to represent Chicago, stitched “1929” and “1994” into the pull tabs to represent the years the stadium was built and torn down, and chose red as the shoe’s color in a tribute to Benny himself. The four key elements are also a nod back to Klarna’s signature Pay in Four feature.
“I’m thrilled to partner with Klarna and design a shoe for Chicago’s most iconic mascot, Benny The Bull,” said McKee. “I love the city of Chicago and being able to create a shoe that’s a tribute to the city and represents the nostalgia of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s Bulls was such a great experience. The Benny shoes have all sorts of nods to the Chicago Stadium - namely, the original Benny The Bull shoes were all red, and so are these (with a hint of Klarna pink, of course). And the four gold stars are of course for the city of Chicago.”
Fellow Chicago-based designer and Bulls Creative Strategy and Design Advisor, Don C, who designed last year’s shoe, will pass the baton to “The Stitch Gawd” at the February 27 game as she presents the new pair of shoes to Benny. For the 2023/24 NBA season, Don C designed four limited-edition, collectable posters that fans can get exclusive through shopping with Klarna Smoooth Delivery at the United Center, a service curated by Klarna and the Bulls, that allows fans to shop select items via the Klarna app during games and have it delivered directly to their seat. At the February 27 game, fans will have the chance to receive the fourth poster installment in this series, created for this event and inspired by “The Stitch Gawd’s” shoe design. Fans who sit in the Klarna section that evening will receive a custom Benny The Bull t-shirt designed by “The Stitch Gawd'' so that they can take home a piece of the evening with them. They will also have the chance to receive a surprise delivery from Don C himself, who will bring one lucky fan their order, the custom t-shirt and the limited-edition poster to their seat. All fans at the game are also invited to activate Klarna Concierge in the concourse, which will offer them unique items and signed memorabilia with proof of a Klarna account.
“We’re excited to partner with ‘The Stitch Gawd’ on another exciting Benny The Bull sneaker collaboration,” said Megan Gokey, Head of B2C Marketing in North America and the United Kingdom, Klarna. “Her design is a nod to the history of the Bulls and the iconic Chicago Stadium, a place where Chicago sports fans have made memories for decades. Through our partnership with the Bulls, Klarna is always looking to boost the fan experience and make shopping smoother within the United Center. From our third iteration of sneakers for Benny and Klarna Smoooth Delivery in-seat shopping to the chance to receive a surprise delivery from Don C, fans have a lot of exciting activity to look forward to at the February 27 game.”
“I’m thrilled to pass on this design project to my friend Emma ‘The Stitch Gawd,’” said Don C. “We both share a passion for design and for the city of Chicago, so this is the perfect project for us both. I can’t wait for Bulls fans to see the nostalgic shoe design she’s put together - I even used it as inspiration for the fourth iteration of my poster series with the Bulls.”
Emma McKee, known as “The Stitch Gawd,” is Chicago’s preeminent “hip-hop cross-stitcher,” curating cross-stitch designs for musicians and artists including SZA, Chance the Rapper and Kendrick Lamar, as well as several athletes. Raised in Kansas City, McKee discovered her love for the city of Chicago when she moved there as an adult and stitched her first piece: an adaptation of Will Prince’s artwork for Chance the Rapper’s song “Hey Ma.” Her portfolio expanded from there and she has now firmly established herself within Chicago’s music, sports and entertainment community.
This is the third consecutive year that Klarna has partnered with a Chicago creative to design special edition sneakers for the Bulls’ iconic mascot, previously collaborating with Chuck Anderson and Don C.
About Klarna
Since 2005 Klarna has been on a mission to accelerate commerce with consumer needs at the heart of it. With over 150 million global active users and 2 million transactions per day, Klarna’s fair, sustainable and AI-powered payment and shopping solutions are revolutionizing the way people shop and pay online and in-store, empowering consumers to shop smarter with greater confidence and convenience. More than 500,000 global retailers integrate Klarna’s innovative technology and marketing solutions to drive growth and loyalty, including H&M, Saks, Sephora, Macy’s, Ikea, Expedia Group, Nike and Airbnb. For more information, visit Klarna.com.
For additional information, please contact:
Kimberly Gibbs
kimberly.gibbs@klarna.com
(614) 967-5032