All-American Sneakers: PF Flyers x Gitman Bros Deliver The Best of Both Brands

Posted September 2, 2016

Gitman Bros. X PF Flyers Show The Way Home

It seems to be the time of year for some interesting collabs. Hot on the heels of our last story where we saw Sam and Shaka from Art Comes First team up with Dutch based denim label Denham, we travel to the other side of the pond to watch two stalwarts of US style and home-grown manufacture come together to share their knowledge and resources.

Bringing the Best of Both Brands

Gitman Bros. Vintage are known for creating some of the finest shirting to come out of the US. Their cuts, fabrics and dedication to domestic manufacture is something to be admired and fitted perfectly into the collaboration with US sneaker brand PF Flyers’ recent return to domestic manufacture with their Made in USA Center Hi shoe.

Seed to Sew

As well as taking advantage of the obvious benefits of entirely domestic manufacture from both brands, the collab shoe takes it one step further with use Gitman’s “Seed to Sew” fabric. A fabric that has been made in the USA, literally from the seed planted in the field, to the milling, to the dying of the fabric to the creating final garment. It adds another dimension to the product and we tip our hat to Gitman for their hard work in sourcing such a fabric.

Heddels Help

Happily, our friends over at Heddels were able to visit both the Boston-based PF Flyer factory and the Gitman factory in Ashland, Pennsylvania. We see the architects of this collaboration, President Chris Olberding of Gitman Bros. Vintage and Global Merchandise Manager Chris Tobias of PF discuss the finer points of putting their complementary skills together and creating a rather special shoe.

Want a Pair?

For those of you looking to get your hands on a pair, The Gitman Bros. Vintage x PF Flyer sneaker will be available from PF stockists from September 1.

Gitman Bros., Made in USA, PF Flyers, Shoes & Boots

Matt Wilson

Before turning his attention toward clothing and fashion, Matt Wilson was a product designer. He witnessed first-hand the unethical manufacture of products designed and developed specifically for obsolescence and quickly recognised the inherent dangers of this attitude towards consumerism. A happy chance occurred when he discovered Raw Denim. Fascinated by the narrative contained in each garment, this newfound passion led him into a journey of discovery through the fashion and clothing industry. The qualities he found in a great pair of jeans he soon found in other garments, shoes and accessories. Up until February 2017, Matt was heavily involved with Selvedge Run, a trade show for menswear, shoes and accessories. A home for brands with a philosophy that aligned perfectly with his principles of craft and quality at the core of a good product. He now shares this passion the as the Editor of Rope Dye, an online men’s lifestyle magazine about the passion for well-crafted menswear as well as other cherished products and designs that baulk against today’s throw-away culture.