Panama Jack's iconic nappa boots.
I was about twelve years old when one of my first cousins had a little argument with her mother because she wouldn't buy her yellow shoes. I remember it well because, at the time, I thought... yellow shoes? What would they be talking about? What a strange thing!
Good, the 'yellow shoes' that my mother and my aunt referred to were actually Panama Jack shoes, which were living one of their moments of splendor among the youth of the 90s.
The iconic boots born in 1989 for the joy and delight of the battered feet of the mountaineers -surrendered to them by its resistance to water and its very comfortable rubber sole, flexible, resistant and adherent– They also conquered the looks of the kids who wanted to be grunge, combined with lumberjack shirts, heavy band t-shirts and flowery dresses.
Old illustration of Panama Jack for Life magazine.
The creator of the firm, Antonio Vicente, had his objective clear from the beginning: to make high-quality shoes in his small workshop in the Alicante city of Elche, where the entire production process was centralized from the beginning. His leitmotiv: daily adventure as a way of life. Adventurous references have always been present in his designs and campaigns. In the last winter, for example, aviation was the protagonist. His very name seems to evoke that of an intrepid explorer like Allan Quatermain or Indiana Jones.
The classic vintage nappa leather boot has always been and continues to be the queen but, for decades, the workshops have also been manufacturing sports shoes, ankle boots, shoes, sandals and boat shoes, all of them with a similar spirit. The emblematic boots are also made with different skins, inner linings, rivets, laces...
Three decades of craftsmanship and adventure
Last year The 30th anniversary of the firm from Alicante was celebrated which, in addition to boasting products that are 100% made in Spain, emphasizes that they last over time. Who doesn't keep some wonderfully scuffed old Panama Jacks in their closet?
There will be few people in Spain who do not identify this brand, which sells in 22 countries around the world, but the truth is that it always maintains a low profile in the media and networks. As if he wanted to convey to the world that a product like his speaks for itself.
They presume, yes, to continue with the same artisanal processes from the beginning. A few years ago there was a brief attempt at decentralization in Asia, but the project was soon pushed back, as Vicente was not satisfied with the result.
One of the campaigns of the Spanish firm.
The mythical boot returned home and today each pair is still made by hand (and with affection, they tell us): “We are targeting authentic people who seek adventure on a daily basis, those who value natural style and want to feel comfortable, either in the city or in the mountains”.
They want to add little more from the firm, except that for them it is a priority to guarantee good working conditions for the team and to advance in eco-sustainable production that supports local industry. In addition, they collaborate with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation, Uno entre cien mil and Un Abrazo de Luz.
Panama Jack collaborated with Ruta Quetzal for years.
On the other hand, they have had other ways to burn their involvement in respect for the environment. Nobody forgets his collaboration with the Quetzal route - which took place between 1992 and until 2016, year in which Miguel de la Quadra Salcedo died and ceased to be carried out–, that educational and cultural exchange project that marked generations of young people in those magnificent expeditions through 20 countries that combined adventure and history. The classic boot was, in fact, an icon of the Ruta Quetzal and other projects such as the Atapuerca excavations.