PUMA Cabana Junior

• MODEL: PUMA CABANA JUNIOR
• TYPE: RUNNING
• MADE IN: TAIWAN

Also made in Velcro-strapped versions, the PUMA Cabana Junior pictured here is a suitable entry into the German cat company’s line of vintage runners.

Besides being a multitude of places around the world (typically in Spanish-speaking countries) the term ‘Cabana’ can refer to any number of things, from famous football players to passenger trains or computer viruses, and even a chocolate bar. But given that none of these references have anything to do with runners, we’ve opted to believe the naming convention behind this pair fits nicely into the City Series category that our favorite German brands seem to like so very much.

Names aside – and ages too, considering that the ‘Junior’ aspect suggests these were ranged for children (and maybe women) sizes only – it’s the shoe itself we find of interest. Definitely a careful colorway, not pushing to provoke any senses, though the red slice color block through the midsole certainly might lean some consumers in the direction of a Cabana choice when compared to other, even blander options. And while the heel, formstriped side walls, and face (my personally endeared term for the tongue and eyelet area) are of quite routine design, the forward part of the shoe is unique indeed, with a waving, curling layer that meets the highly up-turned nose. Even the outsole shape of these Cabana’s is one we don’t see so often, poised in an almost question mark shape, if you will.

Made in Taiwan without either an article number or date of production present on the pair, we can’t proliferate to know their ancient history, but we can encourage you to hunt ‘em down if you like what you see. Maybe you’ll even turn one up, looking under the rocks on the shores of Cabana, wherever that might actually be, after all.

written by Dylan Cromwell

photography by errol