New Balance
New Balance (also known simply as NB) is an American sportswear company based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1906 by English-born William J. Riley, the brand is known for its comfortable, high-quality products.
Over the past 115 years, the North American institution has made its shoes in both the U.S. (Massachusetts, Maine) and U.K. (England). Since its origins as a company specializing in arch supports, the brand has enjoyed widespread popularity among runners, which began with the New Balance Trackster, the first-ever running shoe with rippled soles (1961), and continued well into the subsequent decades thanks to the New Balance 320 (1976); New Balance 990 (1982); and New Balance 1500 (1993), among others. (President Bill Clinton famously wore the pair during his presidency, which led to high sales of the model.)
Several popular New Balance shoes are rooted in performance-needs, but they’ve also gained popularity within the lifestyle space. Special collaborations with Concepts, Ronnie Fieg and Aimé Leon Dore have helped it gain footing within highly sought-after sneaker collections.
Recent years have seen the Boston-based manufacturer’s widespread popularity sky-rocket thanks to the “dad” shoe trend. In 2020, the Steve Jobs-approved New Balance 992 from 2006 experienced its first retro run since 2010. New propositions like the New Balance 327 – which debuted April 2020 in collaboration with Casablanca – have quickly garnered praise for their equal-parts heritage and modern design.
Elsewhere, NBA Champion Kawhi Leonard, who signed to the brand in 2018, has brought the company further attention, especially in the performance-basketball space. Leonard’s own signature shoe – the KAWHI – launched Fall 2020. Leonard’s sneaker has been succeeded by the Jamal Murray-endorsed TWO WXY, but much more attention had been payed to NB’s vintage basketball shoes. With the help of Aimé Leon Dore’s Teddy Santis, who was appointed Creative Director of Made in USA in April 2021, the New Balance 550 has become extremely popular.
Away from sportswear, the North American company has supported Covid-19 relief efforts with general-use face masks and footwear for healthcare workers.
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New Balance
The New Balance 1500 Made In England Appears In “Green Oasis”
While models like the New Balance 550 and New Balance 9060 have captivated stateside consumers, nothing is knocking the New Balance 1500 off its perch...
JJJJound Reveals Reebok Club C Collaboration In Cream
At this point, JJJJound’s propensity towards the tonal and the low-key is well documented. Look at recent offerings like the JJJJound adidas Samba or the...
New Balance Revives Lakers/Celtics Rivalry With The 480 “Eighties Pack”
New Balance is turning its attention to skaters. A Vu Skate Shop 440v2 drop last week and the debut of the Tom Knox Numeric 600...
The New Balance 1906R “Polka Dot” Pack Is Hitting Stores Now
First teased a few months back by its designer, Yue Wu, it appears the release for one of the loudest designs to grace the ever-prevalent...
Blood Orange Stains The Suede On The New Balance 1500 Made In UK
New Balance is putting on a clinic when its comes to recent “Made In UK” pairs. The New Balance 991v2 continues to draw eyes through...
The New Balance 530 Arrives In “Dark Olivine”
Core silhouettes like the New Balance 9060 and New Balance 550 have catapulted the Boston brand to the center of the sneaker world. While those...
AURALEE Continues New Balance Partnership With The WRPD Runner
The New Balance WRPD Runner has emerged since last Fall as one of the Boston brand’s true spotlight models, unveiling over a dozen general release...
Baltimore’s Vu Skateshop Gives The New Balance Numeric 440v2 A 990 Makeover
New Balance skate shoes don’t make headlines often, but that’s set to change. The Boston brand is releasing its first ever collaborative Numeric 440v2 on...
The New Balance 1906R Gets Another Grey Makeover
New Balance hasn’t pulled any punches when it comes to 1906R collaborations, nor has it relented in its commitment to well-designed general releases. With buzz...