Andrew Rizzo There are more sneaker customizers now than ever before, so it takes something really creative and well-executed to stand out from the crowd. Sneakerheads in the know might be familiar with @jbfcustoms on Instagram. The Cleveland-based artist uses traditional shoemaking techniques to reimagine modern silhouettes and sells pairs on his website. This New Balance 550 might just reflect his best work to date.
Sneakers with animal prints/textures appear in abundance nowadays, but they’re almost never really authentic, just made to look that way in a factory somewhere. Not this pair. It features genuine ostrich on the logos and collar and genuine python at the quarter, complemented by pebbled and smooth grain leather on the rest of the base. As if those treatments alone don’t pack enough appeal, the shoes also come with a laser engraved tongue, 3M accents, and brown leather lining up top.
You might notice in the pictures below that the “N” logo on the right shoe is backwards, but that’s an unintentional error rather than a design choice. If you choose to commission a pair, it will arrive with branding in the right direction.
Pairs are available for purchase now at jbfcustoms.com and they’ll set you back a pretty penny, $1,500 to be exact. However, that’s not necessarily a surprise given the shoe’s premium on premium materials and stellar craftsmanship. If you’re a big New Balance 550 fan with stacks to spend, this might very well be your grail.
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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- JBF Customs New Balance 550 “Ostrich/Python” @jbfcustoms
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