OK, having taken a couple of days to wallow I feel ready to talk about football again. If you’re an England fan I hope the hangover is clearing, the disappointment is abating (at least a bit) and you’re able to reflect on the myriad of positives to come out of this summer. If you’re not an England fan, you’re probably already there. From Denmark’s incredible bravery and togetherness shown in the most horrific circumstances, to Italy’s spectacular turnaround in fortunes led by the most dapper man in football, Roberto Mancini, there was a lot to love about Euro 2020. We’re massive fans of Bobby Manc, by the way. Expect to hear more about him in the coming weeks.
Perhaps the most heartening sight though, was the return of fans to stadiums. From the hardy Welsh supporters who travelled to the Baku of beyond to cheer on their team in Azerbaijan, to the Italian couple embracing their national stereotypes and dressing as pizza and Super Mario for the final. As the famous quote says, ‘football without fans is nothing’, that’s why it was so emotional to see a near-capacity Wembley again for the final. In a way, football did come home.
The first tentative steps on this journey were taken back in May as a trickle of fans were allowed back into club games in England. It was against this backdrop that we wanted to shoot the Puma Mallorca OG. The Puma Mallorca is a 70s terracewear legend. But for the reissue of the silhouette for SS21 we needed to introduce the shoe to a new generation of football fans, with their own diverse styles, fashion, and subcultures.
We wanted to capture the excitement and anticipation of matchday which fans had been deprived of for so long. We didn’t want to focus solely on the 90 minutes in the stadium though, but rather on the places around the ground that form part of the matchday routine. The pubs where you meet with your mates, the greasy spoon cafés where you grab your pre-game meal, the streets and underpasses that make up the walk to the ground. Where you eat, drink, and crucially, what you wear, all form part of this weekly ritual.
The Mallorca is a casual classic, constructed from a premium fabric upper with a chunky contact gum sole and suede Puma stripe. These classy blue and white colourways follow the sky blue and orange and navy and yellow silhouettes released earlier in the year, and like fans in stadiums, it’s good to have them back.
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