The Return of Bata Heritage // Bata Bullets High Cut

Recently, one of the more fortunate coincidences in my blogging career occurred. For a while, my shoe obsession nearly crossed the line into excessive, but I found myself searching high and low for items I hadn't seen before. Becoming increasingly fed up with the usual high street stores that peddle the same styles from the same brands, with varying levels of effort and visual merchandising, my eye turned to finding collaborations or brands from EU retailers (Colette etc), which is where I stumbled upon Bata Heritage/Bata Bullets... my interest piqued. They had style, quality, and a hell of a price point; why hadn't I seen them before?

With some further searching, I found that Bata Bullets are stocked in one single UK retailer, The Hip Store, and they only relaunched last year after 40 years of being slightly lost to history. The temptation to purchase was thwarted by my desired style being out of stock in my size. I proceeded to follow Bata on Instagram to ensure I'd find them again, only to receive a message a few days later. This is a fantastic moment for a blogger, not simply because I could cop the style I was after, but because I can review something that I was entirely willing to put my own money into either way. I'm glad to say that these shoes have not been a disappointment, and I'll be buying another pair one day, I'm sure.

A little history of this style, for those of you who are slightly nerdy like me. They were created in 1964 for the Baltimore Bullets, an American Basketball team (now the Washington Wizards... we can all appreciate that commitment to alliteration). Discontinued in the mid 1970s, they became a bit of a cult classic, and for 40 years they stayed that way. Now that they're back, I would be surprised if you don't start seeing them around more often.

The materials used made an immediate impression on me. The upper is made of the strongest canvas I have come across on a shoe, without being too thick, and the sole is suitably sturdy. They've managed both of these things without sacrificing comfort in any way - these are going to be able to take a daily beating with ease. Style wise, they are the ideal balance between minimal and rugged. The clean and simplistic style is matched with the vertically ribbed toe and thick midsole. But I can probably let the photos speak for themselves on that front.

COS Coat | Muji T-Shirt | COS Trousers | Tissot Watch | Bata Bullets Shoes

The classics come in white, navy, or black, all as either high or low styles. Bata Bullets also has a collection of seasonal styles in varying colours, designs, and even collaborations/limited editions. This is a brand to keep an eye out for, and when you can pick up a pair of these for only £45, what's not to love?

Rob.

Instagram

*Bata Heritage kindly sent me the Bata Bullets High Cut in White/Cream. This, as always, hasn't changed my opinions in any way.