PUMA Denver (Made in Taiwan)

• MODEL: PUMA DENVER
• MADE IN: TAIWAN

Nylon upper, suede patches in highlighted locations, and leather formstripes to blast a splash of deep blue across their bodies, what’s not to like about the Denver’s build and design?

In what looks most obviously like a running shoe, we find something quite unique from PUMA’s vintage days. A multiple density sole unit leads its way up to the, not double, but triple enforced toe, pressing us to wonder if the Denver was meant for a more aggressive purpose then simply pushing forward in sprint for training.

As with many age-old PUMA relics, the exact release year is unknown, though the West German design and Taiwanese production seen here are not the only ancient Denver’s floating around. We’ve seen a similar, more candy-cane colored version, also donning some blue hues, that was most likely made available to the public during the ’80s (or possibly early ’90s), as well as an almost identical pair that replaced the red with purple. The first of these alternate versions shows off a brilliant silver formstripe and features more intense suede patches that cover extra area punctured periodically with aesthetic abstractions.

I personally prefer these pictured here, and find that their simplicity alone leaves me to believe they were likely released before the above described alternatives. However without the aid of catalogs or factory date stamps, we’re at a loss to know for sure.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol