The New Balance WRPD Runner Arrives In A Pitch-Dark Homage To The Lunar New Year

Featuring hits of jade ice.

Jared Ebanks December 21st, 2023 (updated)

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Updated December 21st, 2023: Official images have been updated.

Unveiled this past fall, New Balance’s latest foray into the chunky aesthetics of decades past was officially released in the form of the WRPD Runner. Taking classic running styles and distorting them through a futuristic lens, the all-new low-top trim now extends further than its inline offerings with a pitch-dark homage to the Chinese New Year.

Set atop a grid-layered textile, the smoothly sculpted lines of the upper overlays dip in and out of suede textures throughout the ensemble. Cast in a bespoke jet-black tint, the 3M profile “N” logos achieve a glossy finish that stands out from the surrounding clad-colored real estate. Underfoot, the contoured midsole boasts the Boston brand’s staple FuelCell cushioning system cured in a complementary dark shade of grey that stretches from to heel while an eerily faint hue of jade illuminates the trim of the tongue and the inner lining, connecting directly to the marbled treatment of the pair’s box.

The New Balance WRPD Runner will be joining the brand’s broader “Lunar New Year” collection. While release dates haven’t been confirmed, expect the pair to debut in the coming weeks.

In other news, the Kobe 4 “Black Mamba” releases on December 27th.