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.

New Balance

First Look At The Salehe Bembury x New Balance 530

Following the earlier leaks, Salehe Bembury has officially revealed a first look at his upcoming New Balance 530 collaboration. Though his work on the Crocs...

By Matt Varga June 12, 2024
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“Cactus” Spruces Up The New Balance 1906R

Everything’s coming up right for the New Balance 1906R. The Action Bronson New Balance 1906R collection seems set for three consecutive sellouts and even GR...

By Matt Varga June 8, 2024
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New Balance Fires Off Another Impressive 1906R Colorway

At this point, many sneakerheads have come to a consensus that the New Balance 1906R boasts some of the best GR colorways on the market....

By Andrew Rizzo June 7, 2024
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A Closer Look At The New Balance 1000 “Grey/Black”

While they’re still enjoying the widespread success of models like the New Balance 550, New Balance 9060 and New Balance 1906R, the Boston brand has...

By Matt Varga June 7, 2024
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First Look At The New Balance 1000 “Multi-Color”

One of the more unexpected sneaker developments of 2024 thus far has been the return of the New Balance 1000, resurrected from the archives and...

By Andrew Rizzo June 7, 2024
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“Snakeskin” Drapes The Loudest New Balance WRPD Runner Yet

As we’re still relatively early into the life of the New Balance WRPD Runner, it’s safe to say that we haven’t seen the full suite...

By Matt Varga June 7, 2024
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The Women’s New Balance 550 Surfaces In “White/Mauve”

Unless things change drastically over the course of the next few weeks, the New Balance 550 stands to be one of the biggest shoes of...

By Andrew Rizzo June 5, 2024
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Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R “Scorpius” Available Now

Updated June 7th, 2024: The Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R “Scorpius” is available now in Kids sizes HERE (password: DOCTOR!). Action Bronson x New...

By Matt Varga June 5, 2024
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Silver Overlays Hit A Black And White New Balance 1906R

If you’re looking for a trendy black/white sneaker that’s not a Panda Dunk or mainline adidas Samba, there’s good news ahead. New Balance is set...

By Andrew Rizzo June 4, 2024
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