G&F Co._BITTERS ORIGINAL - “THE PLAYER”_KHAKI

SPIRAL COMMENT The new KHAKI color of THE PLAYER from BITTERS FOOTWEAR has arrived at Spiral. Inspired by sports shoes from the 1940s and 1950s, THE PLAYER is a classic high-top with plenty of vintage character. This new version combines understated khaki waxed canvas with black horsehide leather. Once again, they've absolutely nailed the color combination. The natural, rugged texture of the canvas contrasts beautifully with the sharp black leather. There's the rounded leather toe cap, the long lace-up front extending above the ankle, and the circular leather patch on the side. At first glance, it looks like an old canvas sneaker, but it has the substantial presence of a leather shoe. The leather panels form distinctive curves from the toe toward the lacing, giving the design more detail than you might initially notice. The main material is durable, water-resistant waxed canvas. The leather sections are made from tea-core horsehide, which will gradually develop their own character as the shoes are worn. The old-style rubber soles are replaceable, and a spare pair of laces is included. They'll look great with jeans or chinos, and I can easily imagine them paired with wider work trousers, too. Not as heavy-looking as traditional boots, but with more substance than an ordinary sneaker. I think that balance is exactly what makes THE PLAYER so interesting. BITTERS embraces the philosophy of "OLD IS NEW." Rather than simply reproducing something from the past, THE PLAYER brings vintage inspiration into a shoe that's made to be worn and enjoyed today. And this new KHAKI color has turned out beautifully! Spiral Note OLD IS NEW — Finding Something New in the Past "OLD IS NEW" is the philosophy behind BITTERS ORIGINAL. There's something special about old things that goes beyond simple nostalgia. In the 1940s and 1950s, when the sports shoes that inspired THE PLAYER were being made, today's advanced synthetic materials and modern mass-production techniques were not yet commonplace. Canvas, leather, and rubber were widely used, with each material chosen for its particular qualities. Shoes from that era often combined practical reinforcement with thoughtful construction, giving them a character quite different from modern sneakers. THE PLAYER takes its inspiration from those classic sports shoes. But BITTERS isn't simply trying to make an exact reproduction of an old shoe. Instead of designing for mass production, the brand focuses on carefully handcrafted footwear made by Japanese craftspeople, bringing traditional ideas into something that can be worn and enjoyed today. The choice of materials reflects that same philosophy. Waxed canvas gradually develops signs of wear, while the black surface of the tea-core horsehide slowly reveals hints of the underlying color through friction and repeated flexing. In other words, the shoes don't reach their final character the moment they leave the workshop. They continue to change with the person wearing them, and no two pairs will age in exactly the same way. It's a way of enjoying the craftsmanship of the past as part of everyday life today. And that's what makes "OLD IS NEW" such a fitting philosophy for THE PLAYER.