The porteño culture has a rich and complex history. Its myriad culture lends itself to in depth study and understanding… unfortunately this is a top five and we haven’t got time for that. So here’s our guide to faking it as a native in Buenos Aires in under a thousand words.

Arriving in a new country can be tricky, and adapting to a new culture can be even harder. Luckily we’ve got a cure in the form of our top five porteño actions and attitudes–It’s the list of stereotypes and generalisations you always wanted! Not to mention the best route to making long-term porteño friends…

En serio, this top five is the editorial equivalent of kicking off your socks and sandals and smearing yourself in dulce de leche. A pleasant experience all round in other words! So put down the guidebook and get started.

A couple smooches in Puerto Madero. (Photo: Beatrice Murch)

Embrace the People. Literally.

Porteños are famous for their good looks, which might explain their propensity for public displays of affection. To really embrace porteño life, you need to get into heavy petting in a public place. This can be a difficult adjustment for foreigners, particularly as other cultures frown upon such demonstrations in couples over the age of 15. However, as a population, Argentines are beautiful, passionate people; it’s visible in the architecture of its cities, in its famous literature, and in the couple groping each other next to you on the bus.

In Buenos Aires, couples of all ages can be found entwined in the most unlikely locations at all times of day, however the top place for public trysts is the subte. The close physical proximity of the rush hour journey does lend itself to intimacy and even with full phone reception there’s little else to do on the ride to work. We hear subte trips really fly by when you spend them attached to someone else’s face, so hop on and get off. Make sure you know the person you’re mauling though – uninhibited is one thing, sexual harassment is another.

Hire a Therapist

A Porteño kind of life involves a serious self-analysis (Photo:Tony Hall)

How are you feeling today? Like you might have some serious childhood issues you need to work through, for at least an hour a week if not more? Join the back of the queue. To really embody the porteño stereotype you need to develop a serious desire for self analysis, and subsequently hire someone to listen to it. Porteños are typically keen on therapy and even have their own TV show dedicated to the topic – ‘En Terapia’.

However this isn’t to say Buenos Aires is a riddled mess of psychological issues. Your average porteño is much less likely to spend a night out talking about themselves, their boyfriends, or their childhood bed-wetting issues than you are – they already covered it in their 2.30 appointment.

Therapy is something probably more of us should consider. Think of it as outsourcing your whingeing. Adjusting to a new city can be tough and snivelling all over your new friends won’t help you fit in. Why not do everyone a favour and get on the Argentina therapy wagon? Bring your wallet though, it turns out emotional intelligence isn’t cheap.

Get with the Argen-times

Buenos Aires is known as the city that never sleeps (Photo: Ewan)

Buenos Aires is a city for night owls. If you like getting up early, you might as well not go to bed, or at least dose yourself up on enough mate and cortados to keep you sustainably jittery. Everything in this city happens late, which can be tricky to get used to, especially if you like sleeping and eating…

Most new arrivals suffer a short period of food jet lag – finding themselves staggering through the city craving lunch at 3pm while most porteños are sipping their first coffee. Meeting friends for an evening meal won’t help either – you won’t be eating before 11pm, and if you arrive on time, you’ll be the only one. Late means on time in Buenos Aires, so on time means early – let your starving brain mull that one over while you gaze at someone else’s steak.

The major benefit to this arrangement is the amount of extra hours in every day. When you eat at 11pm, leave the house at 2am and go out at 4am, the night seems never-ending. The next day at work also seems pretty eternal, but that’s a top five for another day…

Walk the Walk

Ricky Sarkany´s latest collection of platform heels (Photo: Agus Carini)

If you want to step out, not stick out, it’s time to buy a pair of platforms. This isn’t some kind of tango slang but an homage to the platform shoe. It may be a passing trend, but it’s certainly a successful one –from flip flops to brogues, every porteño foot seems to have paid a visit to Nicolas Sarkozy’s dressing up box.

In England these shoes are known as ‘brothel creepers’ and they have a history dating back to World War II. The Argentine version looks less like a war shoe than one of Elvis’ blue suede numbers, but if the heritage remains unclear, the rules do not. All normal shoes apply for this make-over but the best pairs feature leopard print and brightly coloured suede as well as a brick-like bottom.

The biggest bonus of the porteño platform trend is accessibility. It applies to any and every kind of footwear, and by the time you’ve perfected the art of walking on what feels like two planks of wood, you’ll really feel like one of the crowd, even if you won’t be able to see above it.

Develop a Sweet Tooth

Porteño menus are a heady mix of meat, cheese, and more meat, but in between the choripan and panchos you’ll need to find space for the enormous range of sugary treats on offer – factor in the facturas, if you like.

Medialunas (Photo: Longhorn Dave)

If you haven’t already immersed yourself in dulce de leche (hopefully metaphorically) you’ll probably have developed an addiction to medialunas. These sticky, fluffy little delicacies are lethally good and can be eaten at any time of day. In fact if you’ve been up all night following tip number 3 (and maybe 1…) the sugar hit is justifiable on medicinal grounds.

Even foods you once thought of as savoury can take on whole new identities in Buenos Aires. Pasta sauces sometimes seem more like fruit juices and cake and bread perform pretty much the same function. Never underestimate the porteño appreciation for the white stuff – yes we’re still talking about sugar – and start to embrace a new range of flavours. Ease in with ‘muy picante’, food with a hint of salt and pepper, and head towards ‘muy dulce’, the place where cholesterol goes to die.

Shoes are the stuff of fairytales. From glass shoes that whisk you away into the arms of a prince to ruby red slippers that bring you home, at a very young age shoes are given that magical quality.

Eventually the fairy dust is blown away, but much to the distress of your feet and wallet shoes are still crucial to every outfit. Walking along the streets of Buenos Aires you’ll notice a lot more people looking down than looking up.

So while your prince charming might not be on the other end, the perfect glass slipper is certainly out there and here is a guide to get you started as we take a look at the Top 5 shoe designers of Argentina.

1. Ricky Sarkany

Ricky Sarkany newest collection for this season (Photo: Agus Carini)

Beauty is certainly in the eye of the beholder but in order to catch that, a pair of Ricky Sarkany heels will definitely do the trick. Arguably the most successful shoe designer in Argentina, Sarkany is constantly pushing the limits in style, height, colour, and material. He boldly combines neon colours and suede to create skyscraper platforms. Buckles, spikes, and sparkles adorn not only many of his stilettos but also his leather boots and flats. His designs are meant to draw attention and teeter on the ever-evolving edge of fashion.

Born on 6th September, 1961, Sarkany grew up among cardboard bits, shoe moulds, and soles. His father owned a shoe-making factory and at a very young age Sarkany began experimenting with designs and fabrics. However, it wasn’t until after university, and a degree in business administration, that shoe designing became a reality, with Sarkany realising he was more of an artist than a businessman.

“My major objective is that shoes are not considered an accessory but a critical piece of a total look,” he writes.

Now his designs attract attention from all over the world, with stores in Florida, Spain, Panama, Mexico, and Chile. As he puts it, he airs on the side of adventure rather than caution. His shoes have succeeded in attracting big name celebrities like Jennifer Lopez.

Sarkany’s store in the Alto Palermo Mall would sit nicely amidst Gaudi’s architecture in Barcelona. Rows of pink shoes with sparkly gold heels and buckles, blue suede shoes that could have given Elvis a run for his money, and tan cowboy boots with purple stenciling light up the eyes of many women as they walk by. It is easy to see why his designs set the bar for the hottest shoes of the season.

Shop Ricky Sarkany at the Alto Palermo Mall, Santa Fe 3253, tel. +5411 5777-8242, www.rickysarkanay.com

2. Josefina Ferroni

If Grace Kelly were still alive it would be no great stretch to imagine her and Josefina Ferroni being the best of friends. Ferroni is the definition of class and beauty in every one of her designs. Her aesthetic is not about gluing on as many sparkles as possible but using subtle variants such as colour and texture to catch the eye. Ferroni rarely strays from the classic high heel, boot, and sandal but with her expert eye and attention to detail it is easy to see why she is garnering national attention.

Her shoes first graced the streets of Buenos Aires in October 2002 with her summer collection, although she originally launched her campaign in Barcelona, Spain. In 2003 she opened up her first store in Palermo and then in November of 2011 she moved to her new store in Recoleta. Now she has another store on Armenia street back in Palermo.

Although she is not as well known internationally, her success is steadily building and her style has been compared to Jimmy Choo. Porteños and tourists alike are attracted to her timeless pieces. As she puts it, they “belong to a blurring of time,” never falling prey to the trends of fashion that disappear as quickly as they come; one need not worry about a Ferroni shoe falling out of style in a couple of months.

Yet besides this timeless simplicity, there is always an intricate embellishment to a Ferroni shoe. Old pumps are made unique with a square patterned fabric while a leather work-shoe is decorated with a small coral tassel. A creamy mahogany brown boot is accentuated by tan stitching as a leather ballerina flat draws attention due to its bright green colour.

Her store on Armenia is simple in its design as gray walls and cream couches let her shoes do all the talking. Like everything she does, its beauty is in the details.

“It is a small work of art, without neglecting the crucial point: that is comfortable and that it can be used at all times,” writes Ferroni.

Shop Josefina Ferroni at either Armenia 1687, tel. +5411 4831 4033 or Arenales 1278 tel. +5411 5811 1951 www.josefinaferroni.com

3. Marcelo Cantón, Mishka

From designing buildings and bridges to the latest boots and low-heeled shoes, Marcelo Cantón made the leap from architect to shoes designer look like a walk in the park. Cantón is the designer behind the label Mishka, specialising in unusual heel shapes, striking textures and interesting materials which spice up a casual work-shoe.

Launched in 2001, Mishka just passed its tenth anniversary and has been celebrating great success. The brand recently launched in Britain as well as maintaining its fleet of shops across Buenos Aires. The designer has also recently debuted a clothing line, Mishka Couture.

Every season, Cantón chooses a different theme or material for inspiration in his line; in one recent season many of his shoes and bags featured tightly braided multicolour leather. His shoes often combine Argentina’s love of leather with his sense of style and structure.

“I was interested by the volumes and forms I could create with shoes, my knowledge of architecture really helps me when designing,” said Cantón in an interview with Oasis Collection.

Cantón’s shoes tend towards a retro-hip vibe which remains very feminine. He starts with a low-heeled leather work-shoe and accentuates it with bold patterns or different colours of bright leather. From long leather boots to plaid ballerina flats and floral patterned platforms he finds the perfect balance between elegant and funky. Most of his shoes can be worn to both the office and the bars of Buenos Aires.

Mishka’s store in Palermo oozes sophistication. Pumps, boots, and flats are displayed on old wooden writing desks surrounded by Cantón’s new clothing line and a creamy white chaise lounge adorns the middle of the store. It is clear to see why women are drawn to his shoes, which strike the perfect balance between sensible and hip.

Shop Marcelo Cantón at Mishka at one of its many locations in Buenos Aires, El Salvador 4673 tel. +5411 4833 6566, Paseo Alcorta 1046 tel. +5411 5777 6540, Guido 1539 tel. +5411 4816 4816, Balcarce 1011 tel. +5411 4361 5279. For more information please visit their Facebook page.

4. Ariel Crocitta, Darcos Tango

Born on the streets of Buenos Aires, tango has woven itself into the history of the city. It is believed to represent the passion and sensuality of the Argentine people. Looking graceful in heels, however, is no easy task on the dance floor or in the club. Fortunately, Ariel Crocitta is here to help, weaving magic into his beautifully crafted tango shoes at Darcos Tango.

In business for more than 30 years, the family owned shoe company is one of the most well known tango shoe stores in Buenos Aires. Professionals swear by his “magic” shoes and he is now shipping to 48 countries worldwide.

Mixing both beauty and function Crocitta promises that his hand made shoes will help you dance all night long. The bottom of the shoes is made with leather or suede that grips the floor to prevent slipping while the heel is balanced in perfect proportion to the arch. When you drop one of his tango shoes it stands straight up, wobbling for only a second.

Aside from the science, the shoes themselves are stunning, with every colour and fabric imaginable. From a deep purple and black-laced shoe with a feather, to a sultry red sequined shoe, to a delicate gold and blue paisley pattern, or the traditional black sheen, they are designed to match every outfit.

Nestled among the cobblestone streets on Sarmiento near the Obelisco, his store is instantly overwhelming. Row upon row of tango shoes await your perusing eye, every size, heel, and colour waiting for its chance to flit across a dance floor. The staff are very helpful and the shoes are organised according to size, making it very easy to find your size and then style.

Shop Ariel Crocitta at Darcos Tango at Sarmiento 835 tel. +5411 4394 0053, www.darcosdanceshoes.com

5. Luciano Bagnasco, Guido

While parading around in magnificent high heels is definitely fun, there is something to be said for a solidly built and comfortable shoe. In a country famous for its leather and hazardous sidewalks, Luciano Bagnasco has devised the perfect solution: an excellently built and stylish leather moccasin.

In the year 1952 Bagnasco started designing leather shoes. He originally started in Italy before bringing his talent to Argentina by creating one of the oldest and most renowned men’s shoe stores in Buenos Aires. Guido, named after the street the store was originally located on, specialises in creating handsome yet durable leather shoes.

The simple cuts and excellent quality of leather provides an always-stylish office shoe while also being versatile enough for an upscale evening. Guido prides itself on its attention to detail and workmanship in making the handcrafted shoes, which are mainly for men. The impossible tiny stitching is flawless and now newer styles offer a variety of leather colours. Small tassels or buckles can also decorate some shoes while a particularly daring pair of crocodile skin patterned leather can also be bought. The women’s collection is also simple and neat with the focus remaining on comfort and durability rather than high fashion.

The store itself is upscale yet realistic. No gaudy chandeliers or furniture, just shoes and chairs.

For more than 50 years, men have been buying reliable and lasting shoes at Guido’s. The Italian immigrant brought over a tradition of pride in the shoe making industry, and although the company does not keep up with the latest trends, it remains one of the most sensibly stylish in Buenos Aires.

Shop Luciano Bagnasco at Guido at one of three locations, Florida 704 tel. +5411 4322-7548, Pres Manuel Quintana 333 tel. +5411 4811-4567, or Rodriguez Pena 1290 tel. +5411 4813-4095, www.guidomocasinces.com

When Arnoldo Iriarte started working in a shoe factory in his native Uruguay at age 14, he likely never thought he would be known one day as Juan Clodomiro, an artistic name he acquired as his shoemaking career took an unconventional turn.

Arnoldo Iriarte, now known as Juan Clodomiro (Photo/Jessie Akin)

“I was selling regular shoes at a stand in Parque Lezama, and I was approached by a clown from Barcelona named Miquelet,” said Iriarte. “He had been on a two-year tour with the circus through Latin America, and his shoes were worn through. He asked me if I could make him a new pair, so I did.”

It was then that he realised he could put his finely-honed skills to work crafting the unusually large footwear of the clown, and he’s now the maestro of the clown shoe – or chalupa – in Argentina.

At 19, Iriarte left Uruguay for new opportunities in Buenos Aires. Raising a family, he worked with several of the best shoemakers in the city. During the mid-1990s, his employer at a factory became heavily indebted, and stopped paying the workers’ salaries.

“I decided to make my own shoes and go to the park to sell them,” said Iriarte. “They were colourful shoes. I could have easily made boring black and brown shoes. But I was in the park – in a hippy, artisan world that came from psychedelia and rock and roll, so the offer at my stand was greens and violets and intense reds. I think that’s what attracted the clown.”

But the clown shoe trade was non-existent in Argentina, according to Iriarte, and he had to examine Miquelet’s worn shoes in order to make his first pair.

“He came back a week later when the shoes were done,” said Iriarte. “Then he ordered another pair.”

After his encounter with Miquelet, Iriarte began attending a monthly gathering of clowns and magicians in Barracas called the chalupazo.

“I found myself standing before a new world,” he said. “This was in ’99 and ’00, in the middle of the economic recession in Argentina, and here there were 800 people gathering to laugh.”

Iriarte made contacts with clowns and directors from around Argentina and the rest of the world that came to participate in the chalupazo. The orders for clown shoes began to multiply. Arnoldo Iriarte became Juan Clodomiro.

According to Beatriz Seibel, a theatre historian and author of the book ‘History of the Circus’ (Historia del Circo), there is a long tradition of clown performance in Argentina.

“It has to do with society’s need for laughter,” said Seibel. “You have to go back to pre-Colombian times to the ritual contortionists for the origin of the circus and the clown in Argentina. Later came the Spanish acrobats (volatineros españoles), and the circus troupes from Europe in the 19th century.”

But the current clown movement in Argentina picked up after the last military dictatorship, according to Seibel.

“With the return to democracy in 1983, there was a sustained increase in the number of clowns performing in Argentina, especially street performers,” said Seibel. “Every day, there are more and more students in the clown schools.”

Juan Clodomiro's workshop (Photo/Jessie Akin)

Indeed, from his shop in Lanús, Iriarte maintains a waiting list of about three weeks for all of the orders he receives.

“Right now I’m making shoes for the circus,” he said. “There’s one in Puerto Madero, with 60 actors…another in the Panamericana. There are also clown schools, magic schools, and clown therapists (payamédicos).”

Iriarte has done multiple TV and radio appearances, and often turns down requests because they consume productivity time.

“Media appearances are tough because I have to come back to the workshop and work, and try to forget about what the encounter may have generated in me,” he said. “Because here there’s another reality, which is the dynamic of the process.”

Visit Arnoldo’s blog at www.clodoclown.blogspot.com

Beatriz Seibel’s book is available at the bookstore Fray Mocho

“Alpargatas sí, libros no!”  said Juan Domingo Perón in an appeal against universities’ elitism and expressing his favour for salt-of-the-earth blue collar work. This is what alpargatas, the ubiquitous Argentine take on the espadrille, have symbolised for almost two centuries.

Originally brought to Argentina by Basque immigrants from the Pyrenees mountains, the shoes quickly spread throughout the farming and rural communities. At the beginning of the 20th century a British company named Alpargatas adapted the espadrilles to Latin America by replacing the Jute rope soles with one made of rubber and modifying the toes. The shoes became a symbol of Argentina’s agricultural wealth, and eventually came to be worn with pride by chic city dwellers along with farmers.

Photos by Pavel Ezrohi

Pando at the office.

The shoes have remained the same ever since the alpargatas company adapted the espadrille for the Latin American market. However, a fresh and energetic company has sprung up that is looking to launch alpargatas into a bit of a renaissance.

Three years ago, Tomás Pando and his business partner Francisco Murray started Paez Shoes. Pando found himself feeling restless at his job at a large company in Buenos Aires and left Argentina to travel through Europe and the US. He realised that these rich cultures were missing something very critical: the comfort and practicality offered by alpargatas. When he told his friend, Murray, his idea, it was originally ill received. But the two discussed the matter more and decided that not only was there a yawning market for alpargatas abroad, but that the original could do with a bit of sprucing up as well.

The aim of Paez Shoes is to produce alpargatas with fresh designs, quality materials, domestic production and a firm belief in honouring the shoe’s Argentine roots. They aim to spread their innovative take on the classic shoes across the globe.

The colours tend to be bright and lively without demanding attention, and the playful pattens are able to draw a surprising variety from such a no-frills canvas. Alpargatas are stitched with barely a handful of seams and the novel ornamentation from the design team at Paez is an example of ample creativity working within strict boundaries.

The young and irreverent spirit of the Paez is demonstrated best by their logo – the silhouette of two rabbits mating…maybe. It may be just one rabbit standing at attention, apparently behind the other but actually off in the distance, a dirty trick of perception.

“I tell my kids they’re just friends; that they’re just a couple of friendly rabbits sitting there together,” says US importer and licensee of Paez, Chris Johns. However, Pando sets the record straight by explaining that “we really wanted to stress the born and raised in Argentina aspect of the brand, it symbolises procreation. For the local market it’s sort of poking fun at the rural roots of alpargatas. For the abroad market, it’s saying that the brand was born and raised here, and it’s going to be spreading [with the vigor of rabbit reproduction] all over the world”.

The decision to keep production in Argentina is a defining element of the Paez brand, and one that was not easy for the founders. Alpargatas are usually produced in mass quantities. Pando mentioned that the leading brand produces a whopping 10,000 pairs of shoes every day. The key to most producer’s competitiveness is trimming expenses as much as possible, and the modifications and attention to detail which Paez Shoes require made it impossible for them to be made under such conditions. On the other-hand, the small manufacturing companies who Paez began by working with were unable to meet their requirements of producing with good materials and getting the international orders out on time. So, about a year and a half ago Paez opened their own small factory on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

They began production just in time for the global financial collapse. Pando explains: “We had just opened and were employing a bunch of new people, and learning on the job and then from one day to the next our prospects were changing back and forth. So basically for the last year and a half the mission has been, ‘okay, let’s just survive this’.” And survive they have. If anything, their conviction to keep the production local, and be exposed to the turbulent Argentine economy, has been strengthened for having come through this difficult time intact.

And there must have been temptation to go the less painful route and set up production in a cheaper market, as Paez’s top competitor TOMS Shoes has done. TOMS also sells designer alpargatas abroad, mostly in the US, but they have a very different business model than Paez. TOMS was started by North American Blake Mycoskie after a trip to Argentina. For every pair of TOMS shoes bought, a pair is donated to a child in an impoverished community in Argentina. The company has become very successful and was quick to move production to China.

Photos by Pavel Ezrohi

The Paez factory.

While the founders and foreign distributors of Paez all acknowledge that TOMS is certainly pursuing a noble cause, they don’t entirely agree with the company’s practices and prefer their model. Pando says that he would much rather follow the example of American Apparel, who produce designer clothes with environmentally friendly materials and under strict no sweatshop conditions. He emphasised: “I’m proud to pay the best hourly rate to my employees and sacrifice making donations than to pay someone for less than a days work in China.” By keeping production jobs in Argentina, and promoting the shoes as a distinctly Argentine product abroad, the Peaz model does seem to go further in honouring the roots of the shoes.

Peaz’s foreign partners stress that this celebration of alpargatas heritage is of the utmost importance to them and also naturally helps with marketing. Chris Johns explains: “Our first commitment is to the people in Argentina who are making these shoes and making sure that they’re in the best work environment, that they’re learning a skill and how to be creative and that we’re able to carry on a tradition that people in Argentina have loved for decades and decades.” Paez also stresses environmental responsibility and the shoes come in bags made entirely from recycled materials and created with diverse uses in mind.

It appears that Paez’s mission of responsible production and spreading of this Argentine classic is being well received by interested partners in foreign markets. From it’s inception there has been a prominent announcement on the company’s website that informs intrigued readers as to how they can get involved with bringing Paez to their countries. Pando explains the business model as such: “We’re trying to build a big network of entrepreneurs, small, independent business people who are interested in working with something new. Our philosophy is to work with people that can replicate what we’re doing here in each country. It’s a long term project, in which both sides will learn from each other.”

The model seems to be working as sales have been steadily increasing both in Argentina and abroad every year since the company’s founding. In the US, for example, the number of Paez has been growing like little baby rabbits. In the last year Johns has gone from having shipments in the hundreds sent up to supply smaller retailers to the factory in Buenos Aires having just completed his first large order of 5,000 pairs which will be sold online and to large retail stores. Just last month he received a commitment to 12,000 pairs.

Similar expansion is also occurring with other foreign Paez representatives who span across 20 different countries and five continents. Procreation indeed.

To learn more about Paez check out their sites at www.laspaez.com.ar and www.paezshoes.com.

Photo by Jesse Kraft

Aaron Firestein has brought his art to Buenos Aires. You’re going to have to keep an eye out for it though, avoiding walking into walls or little old ladies and such like, because the art is on people’s feet.

Firestein, 24 years old and a political science graduate from California, came to Buenos Aires with a one-way ticket eight months ago, and has not looked back since. With him he has brought Bucketfeet, a concept engendered at university in the US, and is coming to fruition here in Argentina.

During his first year at the University of Oregon, he whimsically decided to purchase a white blank pair of Vans slip-ons, which he doodled on, “just for fun”. The unprecedented reaction to his self-designed footwear prompted the idea of possibly selling them. Aaron maintains that his move to Buenos Aires has been an entrepreneurial step in the right direction, given that he feels the city is “possibly one of the best markets” for Bucketfeet. His reason behind this is that Buenos Aires is ‘big’ on public art, and perhaps transferring that art to shoes is something that hasn’t been seen here, yet.

Aaron’s website showcases a variety of his designs, which are mostly intricate pattern motifs; and a cacophony of colour. When I ask as to whether there are certain confines to his artwork, he implies that he prefers to work with certain designs. “I have had requests for a portrait of Maradona, for example. I mean, I think I could do it, I just don’t think it would be very good!”

Seeing some of his elaborate doodles however, this seems hard to believe. He also notes how a lot of people are more interested in colours than design.

“You’re wearing a piece of art on your feet, that’s what’s really cool about it,” Aaron maintains. “No one else will have ever worn them before. And no same person will wear them again.” Although the idea of self designing shoes is not entirely novel, it is hard to say that Aaron’s designs aren’t unique. The markers he uses to draw the designs are ‘heavy duty’, so the shoes are entirely waterproof.

Photo by Jesse Kraft

To date, Aaron has made around 70 to 80 pairs, each pair taking at least three hours to complete. With a huge drawer brimming with permanent markers, he draws the designs straight onto the shoe. In terms of cost, Aaron can buy the shoes for you, and add this to the labour cost. He says, however, buying your own shoes for him to then design is often easier given possible discrepancies in shoe sizes.

At our photo shoot, Aaron presents us with a mountain of his well worn creations, as well as a few new pairs, some even in the making. They are certainly something else: scuffed maps of the world, faded turquoise and yellow chequered masterpieces, bright purple intertwined with even brighter white laces. They are quirky and eye-catching, and definitely little pieces of art on your feet.   

I say watch this space; Bucketfeet may soon be all over the streets of Buenos Aires.

Photo by Tiffany Kenyon

I do not own a pair of Havaianas. I know, I know, not having a pair of the flip flops is basically like saying I’ve come to Argentina and don’t really like steak, thanks.

Havaianas are practically part of the expat uniform – if you don’t own a pair, you might as well go home, you unworthy ‘tourist’. I just haven’t needed a pair. I have a very trusty pair of pink Birkenstocks (orthopaedic, support the arches, very comfortable – well, after the initial two weeks of feeling like your calves are being beaten up), that go with everything. However, I’ve come to the realisation that they, um, don’t. I really do need some new summer footwear. Birkenstocks can smell after a bit. And they’re not especially flattering, particularly if you have feet the size of small countries, like yours truly.

Despite always having been a bit against ‘going with the crowd’ – which has got me into trouble on more than a few occasions, sartorially speaking – I have to cave in and say Havaianas are really quite nice. They’re squishy, they’re simple but effective design-wise, and come in the most amazing array of colours. I almost like them for that reason alone. Walk into any of the ‘flip-flops and sunglasses’ emporiums on Florida and it’s the footwear equivalent of a candy-store. Traditional, stripy, flowery, surfery, fancy new designs with a strap over the foot and another going behind – no wonder the Havaianas website has a section dedicated to ‘havaianatics’. Confronted by a wall of beautiful flip flops is probably enough to take send some footwear fetishists to the edge of ecstasy.

Photo by Tiffany Kenyon

Havaianas are more comfortable than any other flip-flop on the market. The Zori, a Japanese style sandal, similar to those worn by geishas, was the inspiration for the creation of the Havaiana in 1962. The name Havaianas (pronounced ah-vai-YAH-nas), Portuguese for Hawaiians, was a tribute to the glamorous US holiday destination. A 46-year-old secret rubber formula, which makes the shoes butter-soft, bouncy, flexible and durable, is the key to their addictive nature.

People buy Havaianas in the same way some people might collect stamps; the demand for them is crack-cocaine high – no wonder the Sao Paolo Alpargatas factory in Brazil produces five pairs of the marshmallow-soft beauties every second. Since their creation in the 1960s, 2bn pairs have been produced. Mind you, make sure you buy the real thing. There are a lot of knock-offs on the market, but when you find your toes touching gravel after a few weeks when the soles have worn through on those ‘Habaianas’ that you got in the market, you’ll see the benefits of the genuine article.

Photo by Tiffany Kenyon

I must correct myself. I did not own a pair of Havaianas. I do now. I went for the simple, all one-colour design (mainly because they don’t do the flowery/stripy makes in sizes for the fat-footed), and I love them.

My poor Birkenstocks sit sadly in my room, wondering what they did wrong. It’s not their fault, I’ve just moved on. Birkenstocks are like the dungarees of the summer footwear world. They say: sensible, a bit quirky, but probably wide-footed, organic. Havaianas are the absolute opposite, the strapless minidress, if you will: cool, colourful, finger on the pulse, squishy.

And trust me, they do go with everything.

For more information, visit www.havaianaslegitimas.com.ar