New Balance
New Balance (also known simply as NB) is an American sportswear company based in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1906 by English-born William J. Riley, the brand is known for its comfortable, high-quality products.
Over the past 115 years, the North American institution has made its shoes in both the U.S. (Massachusetts, Maine) and U.K. (England). Since its origins as a company specializing in arch supports, the brand has enjoyed widespread popularity among runners, which began with the New Balance Trackster, the first-ever running shoe with rippled soles (1961), and continued well into the subsequent decades thanks to the New Balance 320 (1976); New Balance 990 (1982); and New Balance 1500 (1993), among others. (President Bill Clinton famously wore the pair during his presidency, which led to high sales of the model.)
Several popular New Balance shoes are rooted in performance-needs, but they’ve also gained popularity within the lifestyle space. Special collaborations with Concepts, Ronnie Fieg and Aimé Leon Dore have helped it gain footing within highly sought-after sneaker collections.
Recent years have seen the Boston-based manufacturer’s widespread popularity sky-rocket thanks to the “dad” shoe trend. In 2020, the Steve Jobs-approved New Balance 992 from 2006 experienced its first retro run since 2010. New propositions like the New Balance 327 – which debuted April 2020 in collaboration with Casablanca – have quickly garnered praise for their equal-parts heritage and modern design.
Elsewhere, NBA Champion Kawhi Leonard, who signed to the brand in 2018, has brought the company further attention, especially in the performance-basketball space. Leonard’s own signature shoe – the KAWHI – launched Fall 2020. Leonard’s sneaker has been succeeded by the Jamal Murray-endorsed TWO WXY, but much more attention had been payed to NB’s vintage basketball shoes. With the help of Aimé Leon Dore’s Teddy Santis, who was appointed Creative Director of Made in USA in April 2021, the New Balance 550 has become extremely popular.
Away from sportswear, the North American company has supported Covid-19 relief efforts with general-use face masks and footwear for healthcare workers.
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New Balance
Bodega Looks Toward A Famed Pigeon Handler For The New Balance 610 “The Trail Less Taken”
Bodega’s collaborative stream continues with this latest project with New Balance, a loose follow-up to their X-Racer collaboration from way back in 2020 at the...
Bodega x New Balance 610 Collaboration Set For June 9th Release
Though their storefront may be hidden in plain sight, Bodega‘s work certainly does not go unseen, as they’ve very quickly become something of a collaborative...
The Bodega x New Balance 9060 “Age Of Discovery” To Release On December 10th
Bodega, though friends to numerous footwear brands, is quite a bit closer to the team over at New Balance. Their Boston neighbor has provided the...
Bodega Presents The New Balance 574 Legacy In Blue And Yellow Suedes
Perhaps the most ubiquitous model in the New Balance catalog is the 574, a certifiable entry into the Mount Rushmore of dad shoes. For 2022,...
Bodega Hides Their Upcoming New Balance 574 Collaboration In Plain Sight
Like the retailer themselves, Bodega‘s latest collaboration with New Balance — which highlights the beloved 574 silhouette — was hidden in plain sight amongst their...
Bodega Re-Releases Their Entire New Balance 997S “Days” Trilogy In Honor Of 15th Anniversary
Though already well-celebrated with many a collaboration, Bodega‘s 15th anniversary is about to close with an even bigger bang. Rather than simply reminisce about what...
Bodega Reveals New Balance 990v3 Collaboration For 15th Anniversary Celebration
Hidden in plain sight across both the East and West coast, Bodega is now celebrating a very special anniversary: their 15th. And following yet another...
Bodega Officially Announces The New Balance 997S “Better Days”
First teased on social media almost a month ago, the New Balance 997S “Better Days” has just officially been announced by Bodega ahead of its...
Exclusive Look At Bodega’s New Balance 997S “Better Days”
Together, Bodega and New Balance have a rich history of collaborating on sneaker projects, and some of their most notable creations fall under their 997S...