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

Spring Comes Early For The “Salt Marsh” New Balance 550

In the past couple of years, the New Balance 550 has emerged as one of the key drivers in the brand’s streetwear revival. Arguably the...

By Matt Varga February 11, 2024
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The New Balance 9060 “Shadow” Packs A Punch With Blue And Purple Coloring

The New Balance 9060 might just be the most abstract silhouette to achieve mainstream popularity, beloved for its retro-futuristic build and fashion-forward aesthetic. With eyes...

By Andrew Rizzo February 10, 2024
1055

New Balance Launches Early Access Program

With New Balance’s footwear collaborations rising higher on the list of must-haves, securing pairs of big-ticket drops has become far more difficult a task than...

By Sneaker News February 9, 2024
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The New Balance 550 Wears A “Rosewood/Hazy Peach” Mix

The New Balance 550 isn’t the same exclusive, hard to get commodity it once was, flooding retail shelves without relent since taking to the streets...

By Andrew Rizzo February 8, 2024
382

Nurses Everywhere Can Wear The New Balance 9060 To Work

The demand for all-white sneakers has never waned as the crispy and clean look has been a footwear mainstay for decades. However, there’s a growing...

By Sneaker News February 7, 2024
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The New Balance Warped Runner Rolls Out In Navy And White

The New Balance WRPD Runner, one of the handful of the brand’s styles introduced in the past year, is adding a new twist to its...

By Matt Varga February 6, 2024
2438

New Balance Delivers A Premium “Moonstruck” Made In UK 576

New Balance stands a cut above the rest when it comes to the utilization of premium materials on lifestyle shoes, executed tastefully through “Made In”...

By Andrew Rizzo February 6, 2024
607

A Nod to Minnesota with the “Navy/Green” New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2

The newest unveiled model in their performance basketball line, the New Balance Fresh Foam BB v2 kicked off in earnest just a few weeks ago....

By Matt Varga February 5, 2024
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Buy And Sell Your Used New Balance Shoes With New Reconsidered Program

New Balance has just launched its Reconsidered program — a new resale platform for consumers to purchase gently used and cosmetically imperfect footwear. In an...

By Sneaker News February 5, 2024
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