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Key Takeaways
- Ronnie Fieg and New Balance have unveiled the 2011, Fieg’s first original New Balance silhouette.
- The new model celebrates Kith’s 15th anniversary, taking its name from the year the brand was founded.
- Four colourways will debut: Bark, Redwood, Leaf and Sakura.
- The sneaker features a new multi-panel upper with ABZORB tooling from the original New Balance 2002.
- Bark and Redwood are exclusive to New Balance at Kith in West Hollywood, while Leaf and Sakura receive a wider Kith release on 29 June.
Kith and New Balance have made plenty of sneakers together, but the 2011 is not another remix from the archive: it’s Kith Founder Ronnie Fieg’s first original New Balance model, dressed in four growth-inspired colourways.
Unveiled as part of Kith’s 15th anniversary celebrations, the New Balance 2011 marks 15 years of Fieg’s relationship with the Boston sportswear brand. Having worked across more than 30 New Balance silhouettes over that period, Fieg has cultivated his first original Fieg-designed model from the ground up.
The name gets right down to Kith’s roots. Founded in 2011, the shoe literally carries the year that started it all. And as such, the execution is multi-layered, with a new multi-panel upper sitting on ABZORB tooling taken from the original New Balance 2002. Fieg also worked closely with New Balance designer Sam Pearce, who developed the 991v2, which should give New Balance obsessives a decent clue about the kind of heritage Fieg has harvested from.
A New Balance 15 Years In the Making
There are four colourways in the launch: Bark, Redwood, Leaf and Sakura. Together, they follow a story of growth leading up to this anniversary collection, telling the tale of a young Ronnie planting a seed, watering it over the years and watching it turn into a towering tree. Think The Giving Tree, but instead of taking too many apples, Kith has given back with sneakers.
Bark and Redwood are the earthier pairs, built from premium boot leather with tonal canvas underlays and tree ring-inspired topstitching. Leaf and Sakura are more colour-blocked, using micro-perforated underlays with pigskin suede panels. All four pairs come with custom-printed footbeds and three extra lace options, a nice little addition if you want your sneakers to match the leaves as they change through the seasons.
Beyond the sneakers is a wider Kith & New Balance 15th Anniversary collection featuring plenty of apparel and accessories, including technical jackets, shorts, mesh jerseys and headwear. It’ll go a long way to complete the look, but our focus is on the 2011. Sneaker collaborations are not hard to find these days, but it’s the story of Kith’s growth told through the first original Fieg x New Balance silhouette that sneaker collectors will care about.
Where Can I Buy Them?
For those who care a little more than the average sneakerhead, the full collection launches first at the new New Balance at Kith store in West Hollywood on 26 June. But if you were keen on grabbing either the Bark or Redwood, you’ll need to be there in person. Kith says those two colourways are exclusive to that location and will not be released online or at any other Kith store.
If you’re more partial to Leaf and Sakura, those will be available from 29 June at US Kith stores, Kith Toronto and online through Kith’s regional sites, as well as the app. The only thing we don’t know is how much they cost, as pricing has not yet been confirmed.
Either way, we’re excited to see Kith land their first original, ground-up silhouette. After 15 years of collaborations, Fieg hasn’t just added another branch to the New Balance archive. He has planted his own model in it.
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