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FRIXSHU N
f r i x s h u n
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M AG A ZINE
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credits o ber m aterial
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Project Director-Photography: errol Writer: Neil Selvey Design: Dean Jacobs Contact: info@frixshun.com Website: frixshun.com Shoe Contributors: Will Clayton, John Brolly, Ollie Teeba, Professor B, errol
errol would like to thank: Barbara Danielewska for the constant support and encouragement, Neil Selvey for taking this project to the next level. Dean Jacobs for making sense of my ramblings. Michael Sterling and Fritze Lakritze for getting the overseas goodies to me. Neil would like to thank: errol for asking me to write, my wife for always encouraging me and Rudolf Dassler for creating the brand that we love. Dean Would like to thank: errol for the opportunity and unerring trust, my wife, Natasha for encouraging me and my trainer obsession and finally ‘The Confessions Crew’ for the continued knowledge and laughs.
key to shoes From left to right: Model Name-Country of Origin-Date of Manufacture-Article Number AUT – Austria, CHN – Republic of China, DEU – Deutschland [West Germany], ESP – España [Spain] FRA – France, KOR – Republic of Korea, ITA – Italy, PHL – Philippines, SLV – Slovak Republic TWN – Taiwan, VTN – Vietnam, YUG – Yugoslavia
A note regarding dating – Not all PUMA shoes have dates stamped inside. In the instances where dates were not available, they have been estimated as accurately as possible based on the shoes design and internal and external markings, also being cross referenced with available catalogue and advertising images.
Please send us an email with a hello and your contact details if you are a PUMA collector and wish to be informed of future projects or become involved in our next project
All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. © Copyright 2016 FRIXSHUN MAGAZINE
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history pu m a
in
The PUMA story starts with not one, but two men. Rudolf [Rudi] and Adolf [Adi] Dassler run the successful sports shoe company Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik in their home town of Herzogenaurach, Bavaria in Germany. Following a disagreement in 1948 they part ways each determined to be more successful than the other and create two of the most powerful companies in the history of sport PUMA and adidas. They separate their capital and goods, also their families, friends, workers and the entire town of Herzogenaurach – all are forced to take sides. It’s the kind of fight that could only be born out of a sibling rivalry and along the way they will recruit a cast of characters – designers, club managers, business men, entrepreneurs, sporting delegates, lawyers, track coaches, scientists and of course sportsmen and women. In the attempt to beat each other they will make revolutionary changes to the sports shoe, design incredible technology, develop an eye for changes in fashions and pump millions of Deutschmarks into advertising, promotion and sponsorship. They will battle it out on the biggest stages – Olympic stadiums, World Cup stadiums, basketball courts and tennis arenas. They will also do battle in the high street, in the inner city neighbourhood and the school playground. Before PUMA, sports shoes were simple designs aimed solely at athletes. Athletes had little say in the designs and much of the technology of the shoes dated back to decades before. You simply accepted that was what you played the sport in. PUMA changed the rules looking to use innovation, research and testing to introduce new materials and new technologies to make sports shoes lighter, more robust, more comfortable, to prevent sporting injuries and to improve traction. They introduced ;Velcro fastenings, screw-in football studs, injection moulded soles, Achilles tendon protection with the FERS-O-TIL, Trinomic cushioning, the brush spike, lace less closing technology (the Disc System), heel technology with the S.P.A and Federbein (spring)
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soles. By the 1960s PUMA were one of the leading brands in sport with many of the world’s top athletes competing in and winning in their sports shoes. PUMA also saw innovation in the ‘look’ of the sports shoe. Increasingly from the late 1960s onwards, people began to wear sports shoes for purposes other than sport. The sports shoe became a common sight on holiday, in the high street and in the crowd at the football match. PUMA began to explore how a shoe could become more than a simple trainer and become a fashion icon. Whole ranges were developed for vacationing, while new colours, styles and materials were released with increasing regularity and textiles and sports bags were produced in colour schemes to match their shoes. It is perhaps the aesthetic appearance of the brands shoes which most interests and is appreciated by collectors today. In this aspect PUMA shoes have an almost unique look which is instantly recognisable; - the Formstrip, the FERS-O-TIL heel support, the leaping cat logo, a choice of bright and sometimes contrasting colours in their uppers, the overlay extending wide from the lace stay to the toe, the tapered midsole and Federbein outsole of the ‘Rider’ models and some of the outrageous sole patterns which could have only been dreamt up in the 1970s. But all this would amount to little without the heroes and the occasions. Diego Maradona’s unstoppable performance at the World Cup in 1986, Boris Becker winning Wimbledon at the age of 17, Tommy Smith taking Gold in the 200m in Mexico 68 and giving that famous salute, Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier breaking records for the New York Knicks, Pele dazzling crowds and defenders alike in 1970, Martina Navratilova holding all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously, Usain Bolt becoming the first man to win nine Olympic Gold Medals in sprinting. The names and moments are etched into the history books forever and so is PUMA.
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dates
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1948 Rudolf Dassler sets up PUMA on the Wurburgerstrasse in his home town of Herzogenaurach with 15 employees. The PUMA ‘Atom’ football boot is introduced. 1950 Herbert Burdenski becomes West Germany’s first post-war goal scorer wearing PUMA boots. 1952 At the Helsinki Games Josef Barthel wins PUMA’s first Gold Medal in the 1500m 1953 The ‘Super Atom‘ boot is launched. 1954 Heinz Fütterer equals Jesse Owens 100m World Record in PUMA spikes. 1958 The Formstrip becomes a patented logo of the PUMA shoe. 1960 Armin Hary takes Gold for Germany in the 100m at the Olympics wearing PUMA spikes. 1961 Rudi’s son Armin Dassler sets up a production factory in Salzburg, Austria. 1964 Beconta become the official distributor of PUMA in the USA. PUMA opens a factory in France run by Rudi’s son Gerd Dassler. 1965 PUMA ‘Match’ tennis shoe is launched. 1966 At the World Cup Eusebio finishes as top scorer and Ray Wilson and Gordon Banks feature in the final all wearing PUMA boots. 1967 Introduction of the Leaping Cat logo. 1968 The Fers-O-Til ATP (Achilles Tendon Protection) system is first used. Tommy Smith wins Gold in the 200M in Mexico. 1970 Pele lifts the World Cup in Mexico wearing PUMA boots. 1972 German international footballer Günter Netzer signs for PUMA. 1973 Production of PUMA shoes in Yugoslavia begins. Walt Frazier of the New York Knicks lends his nickname to the ‘Suede’ basketball shoe and therefore introduces to the world the ‘Clyde’. Introduction of first PUMA nylon jogger the ‘9190’. 1974 Rudolf Dassler passes away aged 76. His sons take control of the family business. The PUMA ‘Jeans’ leisure trainer debuts. Slazenger take over from Alfred Reader & Co as official UK distributor. 1975 Production of PUMA shoes in Taiwan begins. 1976 S.P.A. (Sportabsatz) Sports heel introduced. First appearance of the PUMA Contact sole. First appearance of the PUMA tennis ‘Super-Star’ sole. 1977 Production of PUMA shoes in Italy begins. The ‘Tahara’ training shoe debuts. 1978 PUMA has 5,000 employees and produces 55,000 pairs of shoes a day. Mario Kempes is in PUMA boots as he finishes the tournament as the leading goal scorer and helps Argentina win the World Cup. Guilermo Vilas swaps Diadora for PUMA. The ‘Easy Rider’ running shoe is introduced with a Federbein (spring) sole. The ‘Argentina’ trainer is released. 1979 Beconta lose their long standing distribution agreement with PUMA. PUMA is manufactured in Japan for the first time. 1980 PUMA USA set up. Liverpool FC legend Kenny Dalglish signs for PUMA. 1981 Launch of the Cabana running shoe. 1982 The ‘California’ shoe debuts. 1983 The ‘Dallas’ is introduced. The ‘TX-3’ running shoe makes its debut. 1984 PUMA sign NBA Houston Rockets star Ralph Sampson. 1985 Becker wins Wimbledon aged 17 wearing PUMA. The ‘Suede’ is launched in the UK as the ‘States’. 1986 Diego Maradona inspires his team to victory at the 1986 World Cup. The world’s first computer shoe the ‘RS-Computer’ is launched. 1987 The Dassler family sell the PUMA brand. The ‘RX’ series of runners is released. 1988 Production of PUMA shoes in Germany and France ceases. 1989 Trinomic Cushioning system introduced. 1991 DISC system introduced.
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THE ICONS
JOHAN CRUIJFF E l S a l va d o r [ Th e S av i o u r ] wa s o n e o f P U M A s m o s t f l a m b oya n t s t a r s a n d s o we r e h i s t ra i n e r s .
Johan Cruijff ( Cruyff – Anglicised) is one of the greatest players in the history of football. Cruijff started his career at his home town club of Ajax of Amsterdam where he had signed as a youngster aged 10. After winning 8 league titles and 3 European Cup’s he transferred to Barcelona in 1973 for a then world record transfer fee - continuing his success and helping the Catalans lift their first league title since 1960. An extremely gifted forward and part of the ‘total football’ Dutch team of the 70s, he is perhaps best remembered for wrong footing Swedish defender Jan Ollson in the 1974 World Cup with a move which became known as the ‘Cruyff Turn’ and is still widely copied by players today.
Cruijff would have many different boots named after him during the 1970s, but PUMA were clever enough to use their endorsement to produce a leisure-training model known as the ‘Royal’. The Cruijff is a typical early 70s design PUMA training shoe. The upper is made from suede and re-enforced at the front. It has a padded leather ankle collar and heel counter. The Puma VIII sole is made of natural rubber and has a special non-slip profile with built in cushioning at the heel. Perhaps the most striking feature of the ‘Royal’ is it’s colour scheme; - a deep orange with sky blue Formstrip and matching ankle collar – it demonstrates PUMA’s use of bold colour schemes in its designs.
Rudi signed Cruijff in 1967 after being offered him by the Dutch PUMA distributors Jaap and Cor du Buy.
CRUIJFF ROYAL : WEST GERMANY
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MODEL: ENDORSEE: RELEASE DATE: country: art no.:
CRUIJFF ROYAL Hendrik Johannes “Johan” Cruijff 1973 west Germany unknown
Cruijff was known for his stroppy temperament. In 1974 he refused to wear the Dutch National Teams shirt (which was made by adidas) unless his shirt was modified and one of the three stripes removed.
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THE ICONS
PELE M a l co l m A l l i s on : “ H ow d o yo u P a t C r e ra n d : “ E a s y : G - O - D. B rit ish
te l ev i s i on
One of the world’s greatest players, ‘King Pele’ burst onto the international scene aged just 18 in 1958 in Stockholm helping the Brazilians to lift their first ever World Cup. Pele was injured in the early rounds of the 1962 and 1966 tournaments, but bounced back to produce a master class in 1970 in Mexico, where Brazil beat Italy 4-1 in the final. Italian defender Tarcisio Burgnich is famously quoted as saying about Pele “I told myself before the game, he’s made of skin and bones just like everyone else — but I was wrong”
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Idolized the world over, The Brazilian government declared Pele a national treasure, preventing him from leaving Santos FC and playing for a top European side, although later in his career he signed for the star studded New York Cosmos in an attempt to establish football in the US. In his 21 year career Pele scored a record breaking 1281 goals in 1363 games (including unofficial friendlies and tour games).
sport thanks to worldwide television and media coverage and the reward for boot sales was massive. It was also in this arena that the Dassler brothers fought most fiercely both in terms of technological advancement and endorsement. While Adi blanket covered football – seemingly signing up whole domestic and national teams, as well as providing the official World Cup match ball – Rudi chose his stock more wisely. By selecting a few of the world’s best players such as Pele, Eusebio, Maradona, Dalglish and Cruijff, PUMA were able to capture a substantial corner of the football market. Pele also leant his name to training shoes starting with the ‘Pele Brasil’ in 1971. Other Pele models included the ‘Pele Rekord’, ‘Pele Rio’, ‘Pele Santana’, ‘Pele Junior’ and ‘Pele Sport’. The Granat date from the early 80s showing the continued popularity of the player who had retired in 1977. The shoe is strikingly similar to the ‘Dallas’ in a navy suede with rapid lacing system, complete with the same sole unit.
PUMA signed Pele in 1970 and were quick to take advantage of their superstar with tracksuits, match balls, sports bags and dozens of football boots. Football was the biggest arena for exposure in
By the way Granat probably translates from the German word for Garnet, a precious stone of a deep red colour which is demonstrated in this shoes Formstrip.
PELE GRANAT : ITALY
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MODEL: ENDORSEE: RELEASE DATE: country: ART NO.:
PELÉ GRANAT pelÉ 1983 ITALY unknown
Just before kickoff of the 1970 World Cup final Pele agreed with his PUMA agent to bend down and tie his shoelaces broadcasting a close up of his PUMA boots to millions of viewers world-wide.
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THE ICONS
VLADO STENZEL ‘ Th e K i n g ’ p r o d u ce d s o m e o f P U M A ’ s m o s t ‘ m a g i ca l ’ s h o e s
Vlado Stenzel was a Yugoslavian handball player and coach dubbed ‘The Magician’ and ‘König (King) Vlado’. Vlado played as a goalkeeper and started his coaching career early, while still an active player. He coached Yugoslavia to a gold medal in the 1972 Olympics, before switching to coach West Germany in 1976 and won the World Handball Championship in 1978 with them which led to his PUMA endorsement.
The ‘Stenzel Coach’ therefore is a perfect example. Made from high grade suede they feature perforation holes around the front sides of the shoe to increase ventilation and the flow of air to the foot to reduce fatigue. The natural rubber schalen (shell) sole flexes during quick lateral movement offering stability and movement and the outsole tread pattern is designed for outstanding traction and quick pivoting.
PUMA produced at least eleven models with his signature on between 1978 and 1982 and he was actively involved in the design and testing of his shoes. The Stenzel are among the most sought after shoes in modern collectors circles, with some of the rarer models extremely difficult to find. The shoes not only look good but are also excellently crafted and solidly made.
‘Stenzel Coach’ were manufactured in both the Yugoslavian and West German factories between 1978 and 1981. The Yugoslavian version has a leaping cat logo on the cotton tongue tag, while the German version features ‘The Magicians’ grinning portrait. The shoe was later released as the ‘Madrid’ without Stenzel’s endorsement.
stenzel-coach : WEST GERMANY
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MODEL: ENDORSEE: RELEASE DATE: Country: ART NO.:
stenzel coach Vlado Stenzel 1979 west germany 150
Germany have won the National World Handball Championship twice 1978 and 2007.
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THE ICONS
JOSEF HEYNCKES F o o t b a l l a n d s t y l e – H ey n c ke s a n d h i s Co m e t
Jupp Heynckes was a German International striker who played most of his club career for Borussia Mönchengladbach. A prolific goal scorer – only Gerd Muller and Klaus Fischer have put more in the net in the Bundesliga. After retiring he became and continues to be one of Germany’s most respected strategists coaching in Germany, Spain and Portugal. PUMA released several football boots bearing his name after signing him in 1977. As was typical for the company they never missed an opportunity to squeeze out an extra bit of revenue from their endorsements by also introducing several training shoes; - ‘Heynckes Star’, ‘Heynckes Super’ and one of their most famous shoes, the ‘Heynckes Comet’. The shoe was actually first released in 1976 as simply ‘Comet’ in the same colourway green with a navy Formstrip (although an extremely rare French
variation with a harlequin green upper and orange stripe exists) with Jupp’s signature added the year later. The shoes profile is typical of the era with a low cut suede upper on a PUMA No VIII sole offering firm footing. A year later the sole was updated to the new translucent shell sole, although from a side profile you would notice no real difference. The final version of the shoe was released in 1980 and the upper was changed to a pea green with a white form stripe resting on a white Contact sole. This is exactly the same as the ‘Heycknes Star’ but for the colourway which was blue and white. There isn’t anything groundbreaking about the ‘Heynckes Comet’ in terms of design or technology;but its low slung profile, build quality and colourway make it one of the ‘must have’ suede models among collectors and a perfect example of late 70s styling.
Heynckes-comet : WEST GERMANY
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MODEL: ENDORSEE: RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY: ART NO.:
HEYNCKES comet Josef “Jupp” Heynckes 1977 WEST GERMANY 117
Heynckes made 39 appearances for the West German national team and scored 14 goals.
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THE ICONS
WILHELM BUNGERT A p r e m i u m te n n i s fo r to p p l aye r s
If tennis had only a marginal place in PUMA’s back catalogue during its formative years, that all changed in the late 1960s due to two reasons. Firstly, the take up of the sport by a growing middle class population (particularly in the US and Europe) who viewed the sport as a healthy form of exercise and a social activity. Secondly due to the professionalization of the sport in 1968 - a period known as ‘the Open Era’ as for the first time both paid and amateur tennis players could compete in the major tournaments. Increased television and media coverage led to increased revenue for the sport and increased competition from the major sports companies to produce shoes. Up until that point tennis shoes tended to be canvas pumps with vulcanized soles, pretty much unchanged from the first tennis shoes produced during the Victorian era. PUMA looked to see how they could make the shoes more robust, offer more protection and offer more stability on court.
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During the process they turned to Wilhelm Bungert to help produce and test the shoes. Bungert was the star of German tennis. After near misses in 1963 and 1964 he reached the final of Wimbledon in 1967 only to be beaten by the Australian John Newcombe. The ‘Wilhelm Bungert’ is over-flowing with technological advancements. The upper is a two piece vamp protected at the heel by a suede reinforcement and at the ankle by a patented elastic collar. The suede tongue extends down to a rubber toe cap that is pulled up over the toe to reduce wear during play. The Sole is a PUMA No. II which incorporated air cushions in the midsole offering a softer landing and preventing bruises and sprains. The updated 1969 version also included suede reinforcements at the ball and toe part, giving the wearer extra protection during slides and lunges. With so much packed into the shoe it’s safe to say the ‘Wilhelm Bungert’ was a model for top tennis players.
WILHELM BUNGERT : WEST GERMANY
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MODEL: ENDORSEE: RELEASE DATE: country: ART NO.:
Wilhelm Bungert Wilhelm Bungert 1968 west germany 190
The ‘Wilhelm Bungert’ was later renamed the ‘Wimbledon’ and produced until 1971.
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THE ICONS
RAINER BONHOF B o n h o f , B o r u s si a M ö n c h e n g l a d b a c h a n d P U M A - t h e p e r fe c t m a tc h .
I’ve mentioned elsewhere the battle between the Dassler Brothers in the football arena. Adi had the German national team in his pocket and many of the Bundesliga clubs, but PUMA’s ace in the hole was Borussia Mönchengladbach which produced a starstudded roster of players and coaches throughout the 70s and early 80s including Hennes Weisweiler, Berti Vogts, Udo Lattek, Lothar Matthäus, Jupp Heynckes, Günter Netzer and Rainer Bonhof. PUMA even produced their club kit from 1976 until 1992. Bonhoff was a defensive midfielder known for his powerful free kicks winning 53 caps for West
Germany over a nine year period. A number of boots were produced under his name but he is most famous in vintage collecting circles for giving us the Bonhof Training-Star. Unlike some endorsed football trainers I doubt these were made to actually play football in. If the shape seems familiar then that is because it’s a straight lift of the ‘Delphin’ and ‘Oslo City’ models of that era;- with a suede upper and a PUMA Contact No II sole. The most striking thing about Training-Star is surely its colour – coming in a deep forest green with matching outsole colour. Nowadays an extremely rare and sought after shoe.
BONHOF TRAININGS STAR : WEST GERMANY
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MODEL: ENDORSEE: RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY: ART NO.:
BONHOF TRAININGS STAR Rainer Bonhof 1977 WEST GERMANY 156
Borussia Mönchengladbach traditionally play in green and white, the colours of the ‘Bonhof Trainings-Star’
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THE ICONS
WALT FRAZIER Th e u n d i s p u te d h e av y we i g h t o f P U M A b a s ke t b a l l m o d e l s
What can be said about the ‘Clyde’ that hasn’t already been said? Rightly or wrongly it’s PUMA’s most celebrated and iconic shoe. I say perhaps wrongly because PUMA made so many great trainers over the years - all of which are overshadowed by the mighty ‘Clyde’ and its associates the ‘Suede’ and ‘States’. But the ‘Clyde’ is not merely one of the greatest ever training shoes made – it’s a cultural icon. It’s so much more than a simple basketball shoe. Its mark is indelibly engrained into fashion, lifestyles, music and popular culture. It’s one of those shoes which is the reason why we all LOVE trainers. Put a pair on your feet and you just feel special…you feel complete. Like most of the greats it’s a simple design. A top grade suede upper with perforation holes around the Formstrip on a non-slip PUMA IX sole with a thick sponge insole inside for added comfort. And the history? Well PUMA released two models aimed at breaking into the US basketball market in 1968; - the leather ‘Basket’ and the ‘Suede’. In 1973 PUMA signed Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier for their first signature shoe. Frazier was the star of the New York Knicks
and the NBA and attained his nickname for two reasons; - his snappy off court dress sense (which reminded his coach of the gangster Clyde Barrow of Bonnie and Clyde fame) and his ability to steal the ball off opposing players (another Clyde Barrow reference) which lead to the famous PUMA ‘Clyde’ advertising slogan ‘I Steal For a Living’. Taking the basic shape of the ‘Suede’, PUMA widened the shoe, added the Clyde signature in gold lettering to the side and released the model in an array of sharp colours. It was an instant hit on the courts and streets in New York City before its popularity spread across America and then to the rest of the world, remaining one of the most popular sports shoes ever made. The version pictured is one of the most sought after and a real head turner. A later version of the ‘Clyde’ from 1976 with an extended heel protector, it is Yugoslavian built and comes in a stunning gold and black colourway. The product is packed up in the classic 70s aqua and white PUMA box, complete with the Clyde picture on the front and the Beconta USA distributor label.
CLYDE : YUGOSLAVIA
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MODEL: ENDORSEE: RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY: ART NO.:
CLYDE Walt ‘CLYDE’ Frazier 1976 YUGOSLAVIA 9681G
The Clyde was originally released in 6 different colourways, more were added later. Variations included the Super Clyde [a high top] and Clyde III [a junior model].
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woody S N E A K E R
F R E A K E R
I grew up in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, stuck in a culturally desolate shithole of a suburb at the end of a train line. I was bored most of the time. Besides football and an obsession with riding my BMX everywhere, my main fun – without incriminating myself – was catching the ‘red rattler’ train into the city. I had a basic trail that involved hitting up the amusement parlors, army surplus outlets, burger joints and department stores to check out the action. The only real sneaker spot in town was MSD (Melbourne Sports Depot), where they sold cricket bats and other equipment alongside the latest runners and sports shoes. Back in the early-80s, I was hyped on my first pair of PUMA. Those white tennis mid-cuts with a burgundy heel wrap were fresh, but when I saw the California for the first time, I was all over that chunky midsole. Still am. Considering I never played tennis seriously, I was unnaturally obsessed with the pro scene, especially their tracksuits and matching collared tees. Alongside pastel yellow woollen V-necks, Sweathog fleece and stretch Faberge jeans that were so tight I had to coax them on with a coat hanger, tenniswear was an essential part of my uniform. Yeah, those were the days. The players in that era had so much charisma. Ivan Lendl was a sour-faced robot, but I admired his grim determination. McEnroe was more my style, I loved his childish outbursts and threatening behaviour.
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F O U N D E R
Edberg and Wilander were boring but they always had hot Swedish girlfriends cheering them on. I don’t normally warm to gingers, but there was something about the way Boris Becker played that made me like his style. Plus he won Wimbledon at 17, when he was only a few years older than me. Coolest of all, Boom Boom had creamy PUMAs with his name slapped on the side. They were beyond exotic and totally unattainable. I loved them. I wanted them so bad. When I started Sneaker Freaker back in 2002, I had no idea what was about to unfold – all I wanted was loads of free shoes. As the magazine took off globally, all of a sudden I was flying all over the world to meet with brands and talk biz. I had no idea what I was doing but I was enjoying the ride, uncertain how long it would last. It was mad. PUMA was one of the first brands to really support Sneaker Freaker. Only a year or two later, we collaborated together on the Blaze of Glory, creating the ‘Great White’ and ‘Black Beast’ editions, plus the ‘Friends and Family’ pair made from sharkskin. The project was very well received and established Sneaker Freaker’s colab credentials, which was a real boost at the time. Last year the original concept was refreshed with the ‘Bloodbath’ version of the Blaze of Glory, which was launched in New York. Funny how things work out. I’ll always have a soft spot for PUMA, we’ve been friends for a very long time.
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Ollie Teeba D J / pr o du c er / re c o rd
In 2016, probably the most common PUMA shoe you will see people wearing is ‘The Suede’. From skaters, to Hip Hop heads, to schoolteachers, to grandpas and grandkids. It’s universally popular. The modern day PUMA ‘Suede’ is a slightly modified version of its predecessors PUMA ‘States’ (UK) and way before that the PUMA ‘Clyde’ (US). I won’t go into the fine detail on the history of the design, manufacture and endorsement of this model. Much of that has been covered in other publications. I’m going to give you my personal view on this shoe, a London B-Boy’s perspective, if you will… I started getting into Hip Hop around 82-83, when I was 12 years old. I was attracted to the music and B-Boying (breakdancing) soon finding an appreciation for all aspects of the culture, especially the clothes that people would wear. I’m not talking about what Rap groups were wearing at shows and publicity photos. At that time they could often be seen sporting strange leather outfits with fringes on sleeves. I’m talking about the street gear that the kids at the jams were rocking. The Kangol hats, the windbreakers, the goose down leather bombers and of course, the footwear. There were certain sneakers (or trainers if you are from the UK) that were highly desirable items but could only be found in the US. I think that I first became aware of ‘Clydes’ in 1983 while watching the very first Hip Hop feature film, Wildstyle. In 1984, the other movies, Breakin’ and Beat Street were released. The latter was entirely sponsored by PUMA and this, along with the graffiti book - Subway Art, was likely the catalyst for the worldwide awareness and popularity of the shoe. There was something particularly special about this model. Certain details, specific to the ‘Made in Yugoslavia’ version. The contours. The toe box and thick super-flat outsole. Even the curve of the Formstrip was smoother and slicker than other PUMAs. I wanted these, soooo bad. What were they called? Where could you get them? At this time, the name wasn’t stamped beneath the PUMA logo as was common with most models. In London, I was beginning to see them on the feet of certain individuals. I regularly visited Covent Garden, every Sunday afternoon. This was the place,
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where the Hip Hop heads from all parts of London, would congregate over the weekend. There were some very cool dudes there, that I would spot rocking these beauties. A friend of mine asked one of these guys the name of the shoe. “PUMA Joints” was the response. I’m not sure whether this was a created name, as an anti-sucker red-herring. This was a time when DJ’s used to strip, or cover labels on records as all of this was privileged information. It’s possible people used to call them that because “those PUMA’s are THE JOINT!” It became apparent, that unless you knew someone who could grab a pair from the US and bring them back for you, then you weren’t getting your hands on them. By end of 84, I was obsessed. I even remember having a dream about suede PUMAs (yes it’s absolutely true). In 1985, a slightly tweaked UK equivalent named PUMA States was released, in two colours. Cobalt blue and aqua. Both with a white Formstrip. I had a blue pair. They were nice. But, my obsessive eye for minor detail could see they weren’t quite the same. The outsole a little thinner and not as flat. The heelpatch strip and Formstrip more curved like other PUMA models and no distinctive holes around that Formstrip. My obsession remained. After a short time, they stopped making ‘States’ and they became hard to find. OG ‘Clyde’s, even more so. I finally snapped up some ‘Yugos’ around 89-90, when Duffers of St George, brought back a number of pairs from the US. They were selling for £50. A hefty price tag at the time and particularly steep for something that everyone knew was a $25 shoe with 1970’s standards of comfort and technology. By this time, I was working a full time job and willing to spend my hard earned for something I had been obsessed with for my entire teenage life. I got myself a pair with a silver Formstrip on a charcoal grey suede. I never saw anyone else with these, I assumed they were pretty rare. Around ‘92 the PUMA ‘Suede’ was relaunched. Again, a nice shoe but not quite the real deal. Years later, eBay came into existence and with it, access to all this stuff I could never get as a kid living in the UK. Lots of records and lots of shoes. Finally, I was able to lay my hands on box fresh pairs of these classics…
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Holger von Krosigk F o under
S nea k ers
There are so many PUMA memories from my youth that come to mind immediately. Having grown up merely 40 kilometers from Herzogenaurach, it was always present. Parents of friends were working at PUMA, there were classmates wearing it and of course famous athletes at the time. The most vivid memory is probably of Boris Becker at Wimbledon. I was 11 years old and practically glued to the TV as the youngest tennis player ever won the tournament of all tournaments. Singlehandedly, the red-haired youngster blew up tennis in Germany, and of course PUMA as well. The mid to late 80s were also the peak of the career of football player Lothar Matthäus, another PUMA athlete, and he was a real local reference – his father was a janitor at the company in Herzogenaurach. And to this day, Lothar’s dialect is probably the clearest manifestation of „Franconian“ in the world. PUMA was the brand that you liked with special athletes that were a tiny bit different.
Maga z ine
Yet as I was growing up, the sports of my childhood, like football and handball, quickly disappeared to make room for what was to become the passion of my youth, if not my life – skateboarding. And as the sport was transforming in the early 90s to become more street-oriented, PUMA popped up again. A lot of my idols were either cutting their high-top skate shoes to be more flexible, or buying old school training shoes – Keith Hufnagel, Rick Howard or Henry Sanchez. And on a trip to San Francisco’s Embarcadero in 1992, I saw so many ‘Clydes’ skating around that I had to buy them on the spot, and again and again. There was just no way around this suede gem. To this day, this is probably my strongest PUMA memory of all. I think the shoe itself, the way it was adapted to skateboarding and the way people were wearing it, was different. To me this is the DNA of the brand – although there are clearly other opinions on this. At this point in history I saw a favorite brand of my youth transform into the coolest thing just by changing context. That’s PUMA to me.
jay montessori P artner
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T ransalpin o
PUMA played it’s part in my upbringing through what I personally feel was the best decade to have lived through as a young man. My first memory of the springing cat was at high school circa ‘81 as some of the older clued up kids who used to go over the water to watch the Scousers play football, had started putting on these rather sturdy eye catching tennis shoes for break times and PE such as ‘G Vilas’ and ‘California’. Now both of these styles were way out of my price range for an eleven year old so the best I got out of my mum at the time was a pair of ‘Roma’ which although not on the same status level in the playground and parks, I was pretty fond of them. Eventually I saved enough to get a pair of ‘Dallas’ which I much preferred to the previously mentioned models due to their sleeker profile. Then Hip Hop and breakdancing hit and although many of my peers deny any involvement with this
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L iverp o o l
pass time I was up to my neck in it, spinning our front room carpet thread bare after school and cracking the coffee table on a regular basis. This is truly when PUMA came into it’s own for me, as someone somewhere had the good sense to provided a full wardrobe of PUMA sportswear for a little known film called ‘Beat Street’. The film championed this growing dance phenomenon in New York, becoming a cult movie which kids worldwide wanting to look just like the New York City Breakers and Rock Steady Crew, tip to toe in Rudolf’s finest. As well as a huge demand for the apparel, the footwear of choice was primarily the ‘Clyde’ and ‘Basket’. In my later years as a trainer enthusiast, the models I have discovered and coveted from the archives are such stunners as ‘Red Star’, ‘Jeans’, ‘Comet’, ‘Firebird’, ‘Denver’ and ‘Cruyff Royal’.
f r i x s h u n
Fumito Kato p h o t o grap h er
For a long time I have bought ‘80s canvas, mesh and indoor style trainers. They are lightweight, made of cheap material and not very popular, but they seem to suit my style. The most impressive of them is the ‘80s PUMA ‘Acropolis’ made in Taiwan with a canvas upper - they looked like a Puma ‘Ibiza. Compared to other models they were very simple, but they are just my favourite; - a nice bluey-grey colour, the logo on the shoe, the narrow form – simply stunning.
have already been worn out (almost all Japanese OG freaks have a tradition of wearing out OG trainers in daily use).
If we are prepared to pay a lot of money we can get the popular suede OG models. But I like the challenge of finding these simple shoes. I do not think they produced many of them and I think many
I hope we continue to find more of them and they are passed down to the next generation of great collectors.
1980s Taiwan made OG trainers shapes and materials are always awesome. Searching for these never seen minor models is my life’s work – ‘Safari’, ‘90s reissue ‘Clyde’ in rare colors and the mesh ‘Squash 2000’ ...so many!
TEMPO : DEU : 1980 : 115
DISC BLAZE : CHN : 2014 : 357775
FLIPPER : DEU : 1974 : 161
SANTOS : ITA : 1982 : 1130
ROMA : YUG : 1973 : 118
SIERRA : FRA : 1977 : 1340
BONANZA SAILOR : DEU : 1981 : 3050
CYCLONE : TWN : 1979 :
PRO STAR INDOOR : TWN : 1987 : 1858
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THE ICONS
VILAS PRO A c l a s s y l o o k i n g te n n i s m o d e l fo r a c l a s s y te n n i s p l aye r
FIRST RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY OF origin: ART NO.:
1979 WEST GERMANY 90740
Guillermo Vilas was an Argentinian tennis player who won four Grand Slam titles during his playing career; the French and US Open in 1977 and the 1978 and 1979 Australian Open. His 1977 46 match all surface winning streak has only been bested by Björn Borg. One of the greatest clay court players ever, he signed to PUMA in 1977 and produced a number of signature models including;- ‘G Vilas’, ‘Vilas Hard Court’, ‘Vilas Top Spin’, ‘Vilas Ibiza’, ‘Vilas Court’, ‘Vilas Tournament’ and ‘Vilas Tournoi’. ‘Vilas Pro’ was Guillermo’s tournament shoe and was built to withstand play on hard surfaces. Based on the earlier ‘Tennis Super-Star’ model it featured a cowhide upper with a derby cut overlay extending to the toe box and a re-enforced heel counter. The sole unit is the famous ‘PUMA Star’, made of a hardwearing and abrasive-proof rubber. The outsole has a herringbone profile for grip and a pivot point at the ball of the foot. The ‘Vilas Pro’ came in white leather with a blue or green Formstrip (as pictured here) and matching outsole colour. It has a classic PUMA tennis look and timeless appeal.
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The Vilas models were extremely popular for football ‘casuals’ during the early 80s. Many of the models featured PU [Polyurethane] soles which have disintegrated over time, but the ‘Vilas Pro’s’ rubber sole has ensured its preservation.
Guillermo’s signature move was the ‘Gran Wily’ a difficult shot where a player hits the ball between his legs while both moving toward the back of the court and facing away from the net.
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THE ICONS
FIREBIRD A A
FIRST RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY OF origin: ART NO.:
r e - wo r k i n g of a c l a s s i c d e s i g n P h o e n i x r i s i n g f r o m t h e a s h e s . 1982 ITALY 1127
Taste is a pretty personal concept, but I’m fairly sure if you asked PUMA collectors to draw up a list of the 20 ‘must have’ shoes, the ‘Firebird’ would feature somewhere on it. It’s one of those shoes where everything fits together right, from the shape of the upper, to the sole unit, to its colour scheme (especially its colour scheme), even down to its name. The ‘Firebird’ isn’t a new design. The process of designing and developing new shoes is extremely expensive, so re-working existing models is standard practice for sports shoe companies. So take the classic late 70s ‘Blue Star’ and ‘Red Star’ silhouette with its premium suede uppers and injection moulded sole - mess around with the uppers colours and you get ‘Bluebird’ and the ‘Firebird’. It’s all rather apt if we consider the Greek mythology of a phoenix rising from the fiery ashes to be reborn. Both models were initially released in 1982 and produced until 1985 and both models are celebrated by fans, but it’s the ‘Firebird’ which perhaps edges it with its deep red suede uppers and blue Formstrip catching the eye.
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Firebird was manufactured in both Italy and Yugoslavia. The pictured model has a navy blue Formstrip but a version also exists with a royal blue Formstrip
Handball legend Vlado Stenzel also lent his name to the model with the ‘Stenzel Firebird’. This version is rarer than the normal ‘Firebird’.
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THE ICONS
JEANS Co l o u r , s t y l e , w h a t ’ s n o t to
FIRST RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY OF origin: ART NO.:
fa s h i o n l i ke ?
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1974 west germany 116
The ‘Jeans’ perfectly marries two concepts together – training and fashion. Up until the 1970s PUMA were a designer of shoes for sports purposes. Yes, some of their earlier models had a certain fashionable elegance to them and would be advertised in catalogues as leisure wear as well as for training purposes, but their target audience remained sports people. Into the 1970s and we see people taking sports shoes off the court and onto the street, a shift in trends and an acceptance of training shoes becoming everyday wear items. This required a major rethink by the leading sports companies of not only how they designed their shoes, but how they marketed them too. The ‘Jeans’ is an excellent example of this. Firstly, the name not only refers to the uppers colour but also references the iconic denim garment that is a symbol of modern day casual fashion. And there is the design, which is a classic PUMA 70’s fashion trainer, low sitting profile, brightly coloured uppers and a sleek silhouette all sitting on a gum rubber sole – a true statement in trainer architecture. I’m unsure of the ‘Jeans’ exact origins but judging by the earliest pair I have seen, it would suggest they debuted around 1974, with a PUMA XIV sole and were first produced in either the Austrian or Yugoslavian factories. Few PUMA shoes have seen so many variations, with changes to the colours (while retaining blue as the main tone), shape and sole unit during the shoes production years. The version presented here was produced around 1977-78 and has a completely different sole to its predecessors with a natural rubber shell sole, which is normally associated with indoor models. But whichever version of the Jeans we may observe, we are looking at a timeless classic and a slice of PUMA history.
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This version of the ‘Jeans’ transparent Schalen (Shell) sole was featured on many of the Stenzel Handball models.
Numerous variations of ‘Jeans’ exist including the much sought after pale blue and orange colourway. A junior version was also introduced, known as ‘Top Jeans’ and produced on a runners last and in navy blue suede.
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THE ICONS
RED STAR A t ra i n i n g s h o e w h i c h t i c k s a l l t h e b oxe s
FIRST RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY OF origin: ART NO.:
1976 YUGOSLAVIA 127
If you’re new to PUMA collecting, then be prepared - it won’t be easy. The most sought after models command high prices in the market and that’s if you can even source a pair. Quite a few of the shoes in this book you will find perhaps only a few pairs are known to still exist and many are in the hands of collectors who are unlikely to be parting with them anytime soon. You’ll need an extensive network of friends and contacts, plenty of hours free for scouring the internet and vintage shops and of course funds to purchase them. Some models however may be a little easier to find than others and the ‘Red Star’ is one of them. If I called the ‘Red Star’ a ‘starter model’ I wouldn’t want you to think I was paying it any disfavour. This really is an iconic model, well made and well respected. But it is an easier model to find if you are thinking of starting a collection. Why? Well I’m not privy to PUMA production figures but I can only assume that this model, like its sister shoe the ‘Blue Star’ was manufactured in significant numbers and released in many different markets. The original made its debut in 1976 and the shoe was produced until at least 1983. The ‘Red Star’ was an all-purpose model, economically priced and produced in both Italy and Yugoslavia. The upper is a classic design with the reinforcement sweeping from the lace stay to the front of the toe, finished in a vivid red suede. This model - the middle of three variants - has an injection moulded sole with zonal markings for turning and pivoting. So if you’re thinking of starting collecting PUMA why not start with this one? And if you’re struggling to find a vintage pair don’t worry, PUMA knew this was too good to leave in the archives and re-issued it in 2012.
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The original version had a different patterned injection moulded sole and a suede tongue. The pictured version has a zonal sole, vinyl tongue and was introduced in 1978.
For its American release the shoe was renamed ‘Hot Dog’!
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THE ICONS
DALLAS A B r e a k - B oy b a t t l i n g i co n , r o c k i n g w i t h PU M A s t y l e .
FIRST RELEASE DATE: COUNTRY OF origin: ART NO.:
1983 italy 1149
Few shoes grab the attention or bring back such strong memories as the ‘Dallas’. Together with the ‘California’, ‘States’ and ‘USA’ they were one of THE must have models of the mid-eighties in the UK and perfectly capture the interest in American sports, music and style that was creeping into popular culture during this period. The ‘Dallas’ is often associated with break dancing and electro music and some consider it to be a basketball model. However the shoe was marketed as a general purpose leisure model, sharing the same sole unit as the ‘Berlin’, ‘Santos’ and ‘Tropic’ from the same period. So what do we get with the ‘Dallas’? A navy blue suede upper with the toe box extending right down to the sole, ‘D’ Rings for rapid and easy lacing, a padded ankle collar and a sky blue formstrip finishes off its stylish look. The sole is made of durable injection moulded PVC with the addition of a foam padded midsole inner for support and comfort. The outsole had a pivot point and a built in arch support. The ‘Dallas’ was produced from 1983 until 1987 and it worth noting several curious variations. The junior version was originally known as ‘Mars’ and German born football coach Udo Lattek (at the time managing Bayern Munich) had an identical model named after him, presumably for the German market. For the UK launch the shoe was originally called ‘Los Angeles’ before reverting to its more familiar name and the Spanish made version of the shoe was released with a different sole.
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The re-issue of the ‘Dallas’ was based on a completely different shoe made in Taiwan in the early 80s and much rarer than the iconic ‘Dallas’
The Dallas was a modestly priced model in comparison to other early 80s models such as the ‘California’ and ‘G Vilas’, which no doubt added to its accessibility and popularity.
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r698 : chn : 2013 : 357174
first round : twn : 1985 : 90613su
power cat : twn : 1986 : 7986
trainer-s : 1987 : 1965 :
runner : twn : 1983 :
hobby : esp : 1985 : 1550
pisa : ita : 1982 : 2511-2
raider : kor : 1988 : 1922-2
lagoon : twn : 1987 : 375977
black and white : deu : 1980 : 142
PALERMO : DEU : 1981 :
panama : fra : 1978 : 108
tx3 sp : twn : 1986 : 2342
stockholm : twn : 1987 : 1975
nizza : ita : 1983 : 2541
bern : deu : 1963 : 141
cyclone le : kor : 1988 :
Malibu : ita : 1999 : 291580-02
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blue star : ita : 1978 : 128
gv special : chn : 2014 : 35791101
ZEPHYR : YUG : 1977 : 9165
indoor allround : twn : 1987 : 2143
rx 727 : twn : 1987 : 61711
crusier : twn : 1987 : 375419
bonbonera : twn : 1989 : 373263
urster : chn : 1990 : x183 kw
lucera : ita : 1983 : 2971-5
vlado stenzel handball : deu : 1979 : 155
caLIfornia : slv : px 0934 :
super team 80 : deu : 1980 :
alle ‘9’ : fra : 1985 : 2653
super court : twn : 1982 : 90633w
racer : fra : 1973 : 1670
keglerschuh : deu : 1977 : 820
tramp : deu : 1978 : 191
Munster : deu : 1973 : 182
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