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

After Aimé Leon Dore Collabs, New Balance Is Ready To Launch The T500 To The Masses

We’ve seen this story before. Aimé Leon Dore brought back the New Balance T500 via three collaborative pairs last year, and now the model is...

By Andrew Rizzo March 8, 2024
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The New Balance 9060 “Modern Expressionism” Releases On March 15th

With the New Balance 550 catapulting the Boston footwear giant into pole position in streetwear, other models have experienced runoff, “rising tide raises all boats”...

By Matt Varga March 8, 2024
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A Charlotte Hornets Uniform Slides Onto The New Balance 650

Though they may not have a wide portfolio of official club agreements, nothing has ever stopped New Balance from alluding to sports teams with their...

By Matt Varga March 7, 2024
561

Cracked Leather Appears On The New Balance 550 “Tan/Beige”

The New Balance 550 has used endless tactics to communicate its retro origins, from subtle treatments a la Aimé Leon Dore to in-your-face distressed makeovers...

By Andrew Rizzo March 7, 2024
418

The New Balance 650 Pushes Forward In Pastel Tones For Late Spring

The New Balance 650 conga line presses on with the arrival of yet another new colorway, this time utilizing orange and blue accents against a...

By Andrew Rizzo March 7, 2024
244

The New Balance 650 Gets A Clean “Raincloud” Look

The New Balance 650 continues to wear essential colorways for Spring 2024, now touching down with clean “White/Grey” treatments. While the resale market for the...

By Andrew Rizzo March 6, 2024
228

The New Balance 650 Appears With Bright Orange Accents

The New Balance 650, a massive beneficiary of the retro wave that the Boston brand has been on (see the New Balance 550 or New...

By Matt Varga March 6, 2024
782

The New Balance 1906R Appear In Timeless “Teal/Silver”

Over its renewed lifespan, the New Balance 1906R has primarily taken to vibrant, loud looks since coming back into the NB fold in 2022. The...

By Matt Varga March 5, 2024
682

New Balance Reworks Logos On These Premium 550s

Updated March 15th, 2024: Additional images of the “Small Logo” New Balance 550s have surfaced, posted by New Balance in-house designer Yue Wu. Included in...

By Matt Varga March 5, 2024
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