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New Balance consistently provides its followers with eccentric designs and variations of its iconic silhouettes through new partnerships by fostering creativity and innovation.
Even in 2022, the shoe manufacturer has collaborated with several businesses like DTLR and Miu Miu, as well as designers like Salehe Bembury and Joe Freshgoods. Now, let's look back at some of the label's best-known crossovers from the past as it prepares to release its next collaborative works with Bodega and Stone Island.
Four exciting collaborations of New Balance released in the past
1) Salehe Bembury x New Balance 2002R "Water Be The Guide"
The American footwear designer and long-standing partner of NB presented a quirky take on the brand's iconic 2002R silhouette. This collaborative footwear was guided by the most essential element of life, water. Released on Friday, June 25, 2021, these shoes were sold via the e-commerce websites of NB and SSense. Each pair of this edition fetched $150.
The shoe description on the brand's website says,
“Inspired by the source of life that is water, New Balance teams up with footwear designer Salehe Bembury to bring back the 2002 silhouette with this 2002R. This style features blue hairy suede overlays with open hole mesh underlays. Leather hits and shearling accents are added throughout the upper."
Continued as,
"Defining features such as the shearling N logo and the sand-colored mesh play on the aesthetic of the characteristics of our earth. Our NERGY foam midsole creates a perfect plane of comfort with each step. Water Be The Guide.”
The truly innovative design of these shoes borrowed inspiration from nature and used a vibrant color scheme. The striking teal hues were layered on top of a light burnt orange meshed backdrop. The design of these 2002R shoes was evocative of the rivers, lakes, and other water bodies found all around the United States of America.
Green hits were employed to outline the signature "N" logos and line the midsoles. Moreover, the burnt orange tongues were embellished with the NB branding on the collars. The design, like a fingerprint, was then added to the heel counters.
Furthermore, the full-length modernized sole unit was placed beneath the foot, serving to inspire the natural landscape. Lastly, the customized shoe packaging featured alluring picturesque scenery.
2) Aime Leon Dore x New Balance P550 Basketball Oxford
Teddy Santis' Aimé Leon Dore (ALD) has partnered with New Balance several times. In 2020, ALD reimagined the shoe label's classic P550 Basketball Oxford silhouette. This seemingly forgotten shoe was introduced in four distinct colorways. For the unfamiliar, the revamped silhouette first debuted years back in 1989.
Sharing his views on this collaborative project, Teddy Santis said,
"Everything about the 550’s and what they represented felt like this would be the perfect romance to activate SONNY and the ALD grassroots basketball program."
This footwear collection comprises four stylish color schemes: Red, Navy, Green, and Gray. The upper was covered under high-quality leather. They boasted their model number, which was prominent on the lateral sides of the uppers. The characteristic "N" logo was placed in the mid-foot areas, which were made with the shoe's namesake colors.
Although most of the uppers were wrapped in off-white overlays, the hits of chic colors made them more attractive. The branding on these shoes was visible on the tongues, heels, and insoles. The sail midsoles glued to the colorful outer sole units rounded out the details. These Sail midsoles add a perfect vintage appeal to these footwear pieces.
The popular Aime Leon Dore x New Balance P550 Basketball Oxford sneaker collection entered the sneaker market on October 9, 2020. Each shoe of this collection fetched $130.
3) New Balance x Stone Island RC_Elite V2
The Italian luxury fashion label came together with NB in 2021 to upgrade the brand's RC Elite V2 sneaker design. The worldwide release of the Stone Island x New Balance RC Elite V2 was recorded on October 23, 2021. Each of these pairs was sold for $220. The e-commerce stores of both partners offered them.
This footwear was the modified version of New Balance's RC ELITE running and training shoe. The top was redesigned to create the appearance of a dynamic upper emerging through a design. The quirky bursting overlay flaunted the classic Stone Island insignia in the center. These meshes, as well as the logos, were both created using 3D modeling software.
The midsoles were then incorporated with new hyper-light FuelCell technology and a carbon fiber plate, providing maximum energy output. This energy return further improved propelling transition and 360-degree functioning.
4) Miu Miu x New Balance 574
The Boston-based activewear company has seen various designer shoe collaborations in the past, and one which gained immense popularity was the partnership with Miu Miu. The fully-owned high fashion sublabel of Prada reinterpreted New Balance's widely admired 574 silhouettes.
This Miu Miu x New Balance 574 shoe pack was made available to the general public on February 1, 2022. Although they were initially released with a price tag of $695, currently, they're selling for $750 per pair on Miu Miu's official shopping website.
Miu Miu first showcased these designs during its Spring/Summer 2022 runway show, held at the beginning of this year. The 574 shoes were introduced in three fresh colorways: "Colonial Beige," "Royal Blue," and "White."
The collab's description on Miu Miu's official web page reads,
“For the Spring/Summer 2022 Miu Miu collection, Miuccia Prada reimagines the 1980’s New Balance 574 sneaker in a unique collaboration with the iconic heritage brand.”
The chunky 574 shoes appeared monochrome with distressed details on the uppers. Most of the uppers of each colorway featured eponymous textile overlays. The ripped detailing made these pieces more appealing.
Moreover, the tongue flaps of these shoes were decorated with Miu Miu and NB branding, coupled with similarly colored lace fasteners. Each iteration of this pack exhibited white inner linings with branding on the insoles. On the rear, the heel counters are adorned with embroidered New Balance letterings.
Eventually, the off-white midsoles and the brownish outsoles completed this design.
