PUMA ARGENTINA

We arrived at the shop and I can still remember the smell of the shoes as the assistant took them out and started lacing them up. Trying to be cool as I hid my triple sock secret from my mum and the assistant, I slipped them on. Despite the padding, they were still about a half size too big! I pushed my foot back so there was no gap by the heel, and then when my mum pinched the toe, I pushed my foot forward. She was on to me and knew it, but seeing the look on my face relented with a smile and said ‘so do you like them’ yes yes yes YEEEEEEES! I couldn’t wear them as they were for my holidays, a week away with the church who hired a boarding school in Lewes. I didn’t care too much as I could invite my mates round to see them like they were the crown jewels. I’d lie on my bed, looking at them from all different angles. They were mine…

The second time I was in search of Argentina was for the purposes of this mission, Puma are bringing them back, and did I want to be on board? Too right I did! Casting my memory back, I called around all my mates looking for the impossible, a deadstock pair, knocking about in someone’s loft or garden shed. I’ve trawled foreign lands and ebay etc. and never come across a pair of Argentina once. The world was a big place when I was kid so aside from going the match and on holiday you didn’t have a clue what other kids wore. Loads had Argentina in Liverpool back then so I naively thought every other cities in Europe and indeed the world would have shared the same affection for them. Not so it seemed, in my mind this made them all the more legendary. The calls made to friends failed to elicit a pair but the mere mention of the Argentina provoked so many memories. From the cultural references like the sight of Puma Argentina on scallies feet mixing with German paratrooper boots on the feet of punks at the Royal Court for the Clash gig in ‘81 or going to Colomendy with the school and scuffing your Argentina while climbing Moel Famau. Puma Argentina were decisive shoes in the whole scally and subsequent casual movement and they’re back for me to own again!

John Connolly