When we heard the news that New Balance was bringing Teddy Santis – founder of NYC apparel and lifestyle brand Aime Leon Dore – on board as its creative Creative Director for New Balance MADE in USA we knew it was going to be a match made in heaven. The pair have been cooking up some of the best collaborative sneakers we’ve seen in the footwear industry for years and it’s a moment we’ll surely look to in the brand’s history as making maybe the biggest cultural impact, at least in terms of lifestyle, this decade (maybe even century).
“As a brand, New Balance has always been drawn to nontraditional and independent creators, which is what makes Teddy such a perfect fit for New Balance MADE in the USA… Not only does he have an incredibly authentic and passionate tie to New Balance, but he’s uniquely positioned to help preserve the history of MADE,” said Chris Davis, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Merchandising at New Balance.
The ongoing collections look to honour the 40th anniversary of the iconic 990 silhouettes as they enter their 40th year with Santis designing seasonal, limited-edition models of the 990v1, 990v2 and 990v3 all launching in April, alongside new introductions each month. We might sound like a broken record, but no one is doing collaborations like New Balance, and these inline silhouettes will only enhance those other special offerings. Let’s check them out.
Related: New Balance’s Earth Day Announcement is Also its Strongest
New Balance Made in USA 2022 – April
Release date: 28/04/2022 at 10:00 (Australia/Melbourne)
Where to buy: newbalance.com.au
Highlights: 990v1, 990v2, 990v3
Last year we saw the brand roll out a number of their classic 990 models with ‘red tags’ for the MADE 990 series of sneakers. That run saw classic New Balance grey dominate the spectrum, however, for the New Balance MADE in the USA collection, Santis is looking to implement a colour palette he is comfortable with and has shown great success in implementing over at Aime Leon Dore. In his first release – and based on the debut 996 colourway – you’ll see nods of the classic New Balance grey mixed with ALD creams and hairy suede details we love. USA branding is featured prominently to represent the use of 70% or more domestic value used in the construction of each sneaker.
The New Balance 990v3 leads the pack here as our personal favourite with those aforementioned colours. Grey dominates the overlay as the shoe features a premium pigskin suede and mesh upper, with textured, hairy suede details. All colourways in the collection are inspired by the original 996. In terms of apparel, the pieces are uniform across the range with a classic sportswear design found in each. French Terry fabric, double-lined hood and embroidered patch logo result in a timeless collection perfect for lounging around the house or hitting the local coffee shop.
- New Balance MADE in the USA 990v2- Buy it here
- New Balance MADE in the USA 990v3 – Buy it here
- New Balance MADE in the USA Core Hoodie – Buy it here
- New Balance MADE in the USA Core Crewneck – Buy it here
- New Balance MADE in the USA Core T-Shirt- Buy it here
- New Balance MADE in the USA Core Sweatpants – Buy it here
- New Balance MADE in the USA Core Shorts – Buy it here
The collection will be available on newbalance.com.au and at select global retailers on Thursday 28 April at 10 am with suggested retail pricing for apparel starting at $120 and footwear starting at $350. To learn more about the collection, follow @newbalance or visit newbalance.com.au via the link below.