New Balance’s Made in UK Allerdale is the Perfect Semi-Formal Dress Shoe for Sneakerheads

The semi-formal leather dress shoe trend is here, and sneakerheads are jumping on board. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where it started, as the Common Projects Achilles, Axel Arigato Clean 90, and the Mephisto Match have been perennial favourites on our list of the best sneakers to wear with a suit for years. However, we might have to revisit that listicle because now, New Balance has thrown its hat into the ring with the release of their Made in UK Allerdale, and it’s a good one.

Named after the historical district in Cumbria–home to the brand’s UK manufacturing facility in Flimby–this is not a retro, but an all-new model that combines the best of New Balance’s walking shoe heritage with a contemporary design that leans heavily semi-formal. Heck, you could probably rock these with an unstructured suit if you wanted!

The New Balance Made in UK Allerdale is now available in White with Mirage Gray (#UADWWHI) and Tortoise Shell with Black Coffee and Black (#UADWBRN) colourways. Priced at AUD$330, they don’t come cheap, but what you’re getting is a tumbled leather dress sneaker that we think is worth the price of admission. That’s if you can get your hands on them because they’ve been highly sought-after. Let’s take a closer look at the Allerdale.

New Balance Made in UK Allerdale Details

Price: AUD$330
Release date: Out now
Where to buy: newbalance.com.au, Above the Clouds

Construction details:

• Premium leather and suede fabrications 
• Internal FuelCell cushioning
• OrthoLite insert for added comfort
• Rubber cup sole unit
• Hiking-inspired D-ring lacing
• Woven tongue label featuring illustrations of the Lake District
• Mock stitching
• Embroidered NB flying logo
• Unisex sizing

It’s an aesthetic that the Mephisto Match should be given a lot of credit for, but New Balance has a genuine history in walking shoes, so we’ll give them a pass for not being the first to the semi-formal dress sneaker trend. The Made in UK Allerdale takes the brand’s highest-quality leather and suede materials and combines them on a dress sneaker that you could comfortably wear every day thanks to the internal FuelCell cushioning and OrthoLite insert.

Details are thoughtful, starting with the hiking-inspired D-ring lacing system that adds a touch of vintage and extends to the mock stitching on the upper which is joined by an embroidered NB flying logo. Wear these with an unstructured suit, chino pants, or baggy trousers. Honestly, it would be easier to list things that they don’t go with. We wouldn’t recommend wearing them with shorts for example, or technical sweatpants.

“This is a new market opportunity for New Balance, one which looks beyond only retro running by capitalising on a shift towards a more formal and tailored approach to fashion,” said Sam Pearce, New Balance’s creative Design Manager. “A cleaner, stripped-back silhouette with a focus on premium materials that are already synonymous with Made in UK production.”

“Building on the legacy of our revolutionary Hiker models, and our lesser-known walking collection of the 1980s–which were also made in England–this design was born and named by its very surroundings. The ‘Allerdale’ is a modern expression of a classic style, built for those who want to walk their own path.”

The New Balance Made in UK Allerdale is available online right now at newbalance.com.au linked below, but you’ll also find them at retailers including END., Up There in Melbourne, and Above the Clouds in Sydney. They’re priced at AUD$330, but don’t expect them to sit around on shelves!