Matt Varga Ten years ago, could we have comprehended major fashion labels and New Balance joining hands? The Boston brand’s overall transformation is still astounding to watch, as collaborations with names like Comme Des Garcons, Loro Piana, or Miu Miu have become commonplace, arguably some of the best that the luxury-meets-sportswear realm has to offer.
Thus, it’s no major surprise to see NB and Junya Watanabe back in action as we close out Paris Fashion week, this time bringing a new silhouette to light, currently referred to as the New Balance P400. Though Watanabe’s black leather hallmarks make the specific depth and textures of the model hard to parse, it’s evident that this is a basketball or hardwood-inspired sneaker: a chunky sole platform and swooping linework in the uppers makes that impossible to miss. Assymetric “JUNYA WATANABE MAN” stamps on either tongue make this shoe’s luxury origins equally evident.
Famously, the Japanese fashion titan was the first to debut the New Balance 1906L, going on to become a dominant silhouette in the “sneaker loafer” movement as it hit the mainline. Select retail calendars have already posted listings for the P400 as a whole, expected to touch down in mid-February, though other outlets are regarding this as the “Fresh Foam BBv4.” A date for the shoe featured here hasn’t yet been announced, but it’ll likely materialize as we head into the Fall/Winter slate.
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- Junya Watanabe x New Balance P400 @voguerunway
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- Junya Watanabe x New Balance P400 @voguerunway
