Sneaker News 
The NB brand had yet another outstanding year thanks to their select collaborations and vastly-improved product line with rich inspirations dictating the awesome colorways. New Balance, once privy to store collaborations, hit the brakes a bit and worked only with select shops around the globe, but with the “Ski” Collection and other high-end styles filling out their calendar year, NB, as a company, may have made the biggest strides in the second tier of footwear labels. That said, check out our list of the ten most notable New Balance offerings over the last year and let us know if you think something else deserves a spot on this group.
Stay tuned for the 20 Best Collaborations Of 2015 later today.
Concepts x New Balance 998 “Grand Tourer”
Squeezing in one more impressive collaborative sneaker before the end of the year, Concepts secured another spot in many “Best of” lists for 2015 with their New Balance 998 “Grand Tourer”. Inspired by the culture of auto racing, the extremely clean look you’ve come to expect from any Concepts sneaker was taken up another notch by the carbon fiber heel counter to drive home the race car theme. As with all Concepts collabs lately, the shoe didn’t come without a special pop-up shop release, this time with the Classic Cars Club in Costa Mesa, California, complete with vintage racing cars on-hand.
New Balance 1300 JP
Looking like just another New Balance sneaker to most, the educated connoisseur of the Boston sneaker brand knows these are so much more. First released in 1985 and heralded by the brand as the best running shoe ever made, the 1300 has gained a cult-like following through time, especially in Japan, where the locally-made version of the 1300 releases every five years. 2015 just happened to be the shoe’s 30th anniversary, and this year’s release of the Made In Japan 1300 might just be the most accurate remake of the shoe yet. Even bearing a hefty price tag of $300, the limited supply of the 1300 JP sold out quickly, which unfortunately means all those who missed out have to wait another five years.
Ronnie Fieg x New Balance 998 “City Never Sleeps”
For his third straight New Balance project released on Black Friday, Ronnie Fieg presented this superb edition of the 998 dubbed the “City Never Sleeps” colorway inspired by New York City. The premium shoes feature a late-night motif in a subtle transition from black at the heel, to midnight navy for the midfoot, and a slightly lighter shade of blue at the toe. It’s then accented with the white to represent the bright lights of the city. Arguably Fieg’s best Black Friday New Balance yet, these made for another hot commodity and are without a doubt among the best sneaker collaborations of the year.
Sneaker Politics x New Balance 999 “Case 999”
Louisiana’s Sneaker Politics went for an investigative theme for their New Balance 999, inspired by police detectives and unsolved murder cases (and season 1 of True Detective). The “Case 999” sneaker takes cues from a gumshoe’s wardrobe as well as the bloody crime scenes they investigate, with red detailing on the midsole and “dipped” red lace tips. The hits of paisley and brown leather are nods to the two main characters of the hit show’s ground-breaking first season.
Premier x New Balance 998
Taking cues from the home state of Michigan’s automobile industry heritage, Premier crafted this excellent edition of the 988 with a well-executed black and tan color-blocking scheme. The Ford Model T might not be the first thing you think of when you look at these, but with a colorway this good, does it even matter what the inspiration was? Premier’s strong collaborative debut with New Balance has got all all wondering, what’s next for the Michigan-based skate-shop turned sneaker retail powerhouse?
Concepts x New Balance 997 “Luxury Goods”
Although Concepts can’t actually say these New Balance 997’s are modeled after the signature orange hue of a well-known (and highly-priced) luxury brand, the sneaker world knew what was up with this early 2015 team-up between the two New England sneaker institutions. Quite luxurious indeed, this all-orange pigskin suede 997 was released back in February, but many already knew it would be one of the best collabs of the year. All these months later, we can confirm that they weren’t wrong.
BAIT x GI Joe x New Balance MT580 “Arashikage” Pack
Combining their love for sneakers and action figures, this year BAIT presented a collaboration in a way only they could – by officially teaming up with Hasbro for a legit GI Joe collection. Part of the set was this “Arashikage” pack of the MT580, featuring two ninja-inspired colorways for Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow. While both are mighty tough, our favorite was the Storm Shadow colorway sporting a clean grey upper with blood red accents accents and a milky translucent sole, ensuring you don’t have to be a GI Joe fan to appreciate the sneakers.
Footpatrol x New Balance 1500 “Encyclopaedia”
Footpatrol keeps you educated on quality sneakers with this awesome edition of the 1500 inspired by the wealth of knowledge within an encyclopedia set. The colorway is derived from a traditional black leather covered set of the Encylopaedia Brittanica, with its own black leather and suede upper accented with gold. Keeping them extra classy are the gum rubber outsoles below, while special graphic insoles depict skeletal views of the feet. You don’t have to be a genius to recognize these as one of the best New Balance releases of the year.
Invincible x New Balance 996 “Kentucky Derby”
Even though they’re in Taiwan, Invincible looks to an American sports tradition for this classy version of the 996. Featuring brogue detailing, the clean grey and blue colorway takes cues from the fashionable Kentucky Derby held every May (which is also when the sneaker released). The premium nubuck and mesh upper with caviar leather detailing and brogue styling also receive the benefit of a REVlite foam midsole for even better comfort to go along with the sophisticated aesthetic.
Simply the New Balance 998
Always one of the brand’s most popular retro models, the 998 seemed to shine more than usual in 2015 with both its many excellent collaborative editions and general releases. And thanks to the Made In USA quality, every pair came with top-par materials and attention to detail. Much to the delight of the shoes fans everywhere, the 998 also saw a push on New Balance’s NB1 customization site, allowing everyone to create their own unique colorway of the iconic silhouette. With so many great general releases we couldn’t pick just one, so this entry is dedicated to the 998’s entire year of impressive offerings.
