GANNI Debuts New Balance T500 Collaboration Alongside Artist Collaboration Project

This isn’t the same New Balance you grew up with. The horseman of “dad shoes” has made significant inroads in the high-fashion space in recent years, carving out a presence on runways and appealing to new market segments in the process. Their latest endeavor is a New Balance T500 collaboration with Copenhagen-based fashion brand GANNI, highlighted alongside a project that shines a light on emerging designers.

Just to paint some context; GANNI hosted an exhibition called “FUTURE, TALENT, FABRICS” earlier this year. Seven independent designers created bespoke apparel using materials from GANNI’s “Fabrics Of The Future” program in addition to leftover waste, and now in collaboration with New Balance, GANNI’s latest artist project follows the same idea. Copenhagen creatives MASCULINA, Bonnetje, Camilla Skov, and Ojuna Njama Petersen were all tasked to re-imagine the T500 in their own distinct way, meant to push the limits of artistic expression. The four outcomes look almost like the parent model at hand, and that’s essentially the point. Notably, Bonnetje’s pair is a full-on stiletto heel and Petersen’s features a cotton upper (see the gallery below).

Bonnetje New Balance

Ojuna Njama Petersen New Balance

MASCULINA New Balance

Camilla Skov New Balance

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Moving on to the actual release, GANNI’s T500 comes with a leopard print backtab and matching insoles. The rest of the shoe opts for a crisp off-white shade, but there are plenty of unique touches to note. For one, the base of the shoe is composed of 100% polyester mesh as opposed to traditional leather/suede. A flash of yellow appears on the GANNI x New Balance tongue co-branding, while the midsole and outsole come decorated by a speckled finish. Additionally, the shoes come with branded charms that appear to be attached near the lower tongue of each foot.

The GANNI x New Balance T500 retails for $150 and will be available exclusively at GANNI stores and ganni.com on September 20th. Scroll through detailed images below.

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