PUMA Suede
ART NUMBER: 90681TWM
MADE ON:
MADE IN: TAIWAN
FACTORY:
The PUMA Suede is a shoe and silhouette that can be regarded as a true classic amongst all brands. Since making its presence in 1968 is been a staple backbone of PUMA’s and there have been several different versions and re-issues. This pair was manufactured in Taiwan and although it may not be the oldest or rarest, this mock-up of Suede is highly sought after and the preferred style of many collectors.
PUMA moved its production from West Germany and Yugoslavia to Taiwan in the early 1980’s and they continued to manufacture shoes from there until the mid 90’s. This particular version of the PUMA Suede was only made for a portion of that time.
The Taiwan made Suede’s had a differences in the build compared to came before. The notable changes where seen with the tongue. Firstly, it had padding all along the inside. The label now also wrapped over the top to the inside and rather than being black, white and green; the colour matched shoe itself. Although they were only slight changes, it’s these details which added a new appeal for relatively simple looking shoe.
The Natural (off White) and Royal Blue colourway was a newly created one as the earlier Yugoslavian versions had a Navy formstrip. The colour scheme is also replicated on the tongue label, on the reverse of which flips over to the inside of the tongue it reads “PUMA Our Word For Quality”.
Over the years there have been many different mock-up’s of the PUMA Suede, but this version was only in production for around 10 years. Various colourways were made available and still to this day new ones are being tracked down.
Photography: errol
Text: Professor B
