Michael Le From creating shirts with a desktop printer to designing his very own New Balance collaboration, Joe Freshgoods has very clearly come a long way. And though busy making preparations for his upcoming 9060, the multi-hyphenate will also helm the Boston footwear brand’s “Conversations Amongst Us” campaign.
“I’m honored to announce “Conversations Amongst Us” the name of the campaign, led and directed by me for New Balance,” Freshgoods said on IG. “I wanted to tell a story of the black experience, emphasizing crucial dialogues that connect the community while inspiring the next generation of black creatives.”
To accompany the announcement, Joe Freshgoods also shared a first look at the campaign’s upcoming 2002R. Its black and gold packaging, which will likely be used for the entire collection, features the titular theme across its lid. As for the shoe itself, the colorway, too, features gilding along certain accents — most notably atop the outline of the “N” logo. Elsewhere, cream and wheat details dress up the greyish white finish that most of the upper employs.
A release date has yet to be announced, but more info should surface very soon. To tide you over, take a peek below at the 2002R and the its special box.
UPDATE 3/1/2022:
New Balance officially announced that Joe Freshgoods will be the creative director of the “Conversations Amongst Us” campaign. In this role, Freshgoods will drive both the project’s concept and inspiration, all while simultaneously promoting new dialogue amongst all races. A collection, which will include both the revealed 2002R and sweatpants, will release in April of this year.
“Often my mission is to tell stories from my own point of view using historical and cultural references. As I step into this role with New Balance, it’s a continuation of established collaboration that is the foundation of our relationship,” said Freshgoods. “This project is a bit different for me. It isn’t just an apparel and footwear collection. It’s a timestamp and a deep dive into the importance of communication and community. I wanted to approach this from a different lens from how brands usually celebrate and spotlight Black people. ‘Conversations Amongst Us’ isn’t a marketing blurb, it’s simply the truth.”
The product collection was designed by a group of all-Black associates, some being founding members of New Balance’s resource group Black Soles. Currently, we can expect vintage-inspired apparel as well as new colorways of the 2002R, 574, 550, and Kawhi Signature 2.
