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.

New Balance

Icy Blue Soles Take To The New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2

The New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2 continues to appear in new styles and colorways since being unveiled by Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine last...

By Andrew Rizzo February 5, 2024
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Grimace Takes Over This New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2 In Purple Suede

Grimace of McDonald’s fame took the world by storm via the Grimace Crocs in the late Fall of last year. The all-purple look is back...

By Sneaker News February 4, 2024
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The New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2 Delivers A Striking “Red Toe” Colorway

The freshly launched New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2 has garnered wide praise from the hooping community for obvious reasons: it’s designed exceptionally well, and...

By Sneaker News February 4, 2024
2017

Matcha Is The Focus For Danielle Cathari’s New Balance 991v2 Collaboration

Updated February 7th, 2024: An official lookbook for the Danielle Cathari x New Balance 991v2 has been revealed. The shoes will drop exclusively at Kith...

By Sneaker News February 2, 2024
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The JJJJound x New Balance 2002R GORE-TEX Drops Again On February 22nd

After much anticipation, we finally have word that the JJJJound x New Balance 2002R GORE-TEX collection will officially release on February 15th for a price...

By Andrew Rizzo February 2, 2024
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New Balance Made In USA Spring/Summer 2024 Release Dates

Updated March 21st, 2024: The New Balance 990v4 “Macadamia Nut” and “Arctic Grey” are scheduled to release on March 28th, 2024 for $210. Since being...

By Sneaker News February 1, 2024
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New Balance Delivers A “Coco” Made In UK 991v2

Made in UK New Balance releases often fly under the radar compared to more widely embraced Made in USA collections, which attract sneaker enthusiasts with...

By Andrew Rizzo February 1, 2024
1237

Olive Tones Dominate The New “Dark Army” New Balance 9060

Following a strong 2023 for the model, the New Balance 9060 is back- this time in a “Dark Army” colorway set for general release. Perhaps...

By Matt Varga February 1, 2024
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DTLR Readies For Spring With Their Exclusive New Balance 9060 “Cyan Burst”

DTLR’s acumen with New Balance color-blocking, particularly with the 9060, has been nothing short of impressive. They’ve been able to characterize the model through their...

By Sneaker News January 29, 2024
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