This Spring/Summer season, two iconic brands are coming together to give sneaker fans a heavy dose of retro cool. Bata Heritage will feature iconic Star Wars characters on the Bata Bullets and Bata Tennis capsule collection.
Here’s a bit of trivia for you. The Bata brand is as Malaysian to us as Milo, nasi lemak and roti canai. Only Bata isn’t Malaysian. On that note, neither is Milo. Bata was founded by Tomas Bata in 1894 in the village of Zlin, now fondly known as the Czech Republic. So, now you know.
I know some of you have donned Bata school shoes in your younger years, and even celebrities like the late Kurt Cobain have been seen wearing Bata sneakers.
When Bata meets Star Wars
The Star Wars x Bata Heritage SS18 capsule collection echoes the legacy of Bata and also captures the retro feel of the original Star Wars by George Lucas.
Originally created in 1964 for the Baltimore Bullets basketball team, the Bata Bullets line was discontinued in the mid-70s. It was then re-launched in 2016 as a testament to the brand’s value of endurance.
The Star Wars edition Bata Bullets come in high-top versions in black or white canvas, with red or blue Star Wars rubber patches on the side. On the back there’s an iconic light saber, while there’s matching piping around the shoe and top eyelet.
The first Bata Tennis shoe was made in India back in 1936. The original catered primarily to school children for their Physical Education classes and it continues to be one of Bata’s best-selling shoes today.
For the SS18 collection, the low-top versions is emblazoned with tri-coloured graphics of Darth Vader, R2D2 and Storm Trooper. Both Vader and Storm Trooper drawings come in white, black and grey, while R2D2 comes in fresh white, blue and grey combination.
Pricing and availability
The Star Wars x Bata Heritage SS18 capsule collection will be officially launced on 4 May 2018 at Bata Suria KLCC at a retail price of MYR249 and MYR299 for the Bata Tennis and Bata Bullets collection, respectively.
You can also purchase the shoes online at www.bata.com.my from 7 May 2018 onwards. The first 25 customers stand to receive an exclusive Bata Heritage Tote bag, while the first 50 will receive a limited edition Star Wars x Bata Heritage wristband.
