New Balance’s “Made In” series — featuring heritage models crafted with painstaking attention to detail in the USA and UK — boasts some of the highest-quality footwear on the market. They’re known for their premium materials and intricate construction, traits that have led them become a favorite of New Balance loyalists the world over. A shoe that’s so resoundingly well-known for its preeminent quality deserves to be honored, so Afew has done just that, teaming up with German customizer Jette for a 1-of-1 take on the New Balance 997.
Entitled the “Craftsmanship,” these hand-honed NB kicks feature a combo of premium vegetable tanned goatskin, soft nubuck, rugged-yet-elegant linen, and classic corduroy, all dressed in an autumnal color palette of tan, brown, orange, and green. Special embroidery graces both the tongue and medial midfoot, while strips of branded raw leather are buttoned onto the heel — the left offers a craftsman’s hammer while the right boasts Afew’s logo. To celebrate both New Balance’s rich heritage and their artisnal 1-of-1 kicks, Afew will host an event at the “Ninasgat” gallery on January 19th with a discussion panel and an expansive New Balance archival exhibition, so if you’re based in Germany be sure to stop by to check the event — and of course, the shoes — out.
