“Our approach to [creative partners] really changed about two years ago, and you’re just seeing the results of that now,” said Lacy “We used to wait for people to approach us, and would then say ‘okay, does this feel like a good fit’. This is one of the reasons the New Balance 327 was so impressive. Yet another bring-back from the NB archives, the 2002R is a high-performance running sneaker that was given a lifestyle push for the first time ever in 2020, and Bembury’s Antelope Canyon-inspired design lead the charge before being followed up by collaborations from the likes of FDMTL and INVINCIBLE x N.HOOLYWOOD, plus clean general release drops as well. This is one of the reasons the New Balance 327 was so impressive. The lightweight suede/nylon construction offers optimal breathability for added … Inspired by our '70s heritage designs, the 327 men's running shoes boast unmatched comfort and a casual aesthetic. With a sustainable, fully vegan construction, the Vision Racer was a step in an entirely new direction for New Balance: it drew from the 1700 and X-Racer, Smith’s personal favorite NB silhouettes, but was wildly unlike anything the brand had put out before. New Balance’s 327 … But as always, try to try them on before buying. They may not turn their nose up at new styles, but steering individuals away from a tried-and-true sneaker — like many of the ones listed above — while retaining their brand loyalty is an art in and of itself. “People look to things they can trust in times of instability. I want to create a new classic and I think this shoe really encapsulated my idea of a new classic sneaker.”. The 327 is not the most comfortable shoe around, there’s no cushiony cloud like pillow for your feet to squish onto, no New Balance Fresh Foam, no Adidas Boost, no Nike React. The best thing about shoe on foot is that it’s pretty light, the upper material is quite thin, so wearing it casually on a day out is no problem at all. It does give Nike Tailwind or Nike Daybreak vibes, but way more exaggerated, and I like it. My least favourite part is that there are construction and quality control issues, glue marks and stitching issues aren’t rare on this pair. “No matter if it’s Joe in Chicago, Teddy in New York, an athlete, an artist, we share those values with our partners.”. Charaf Tajer, Casablanca’s creative director, echoed Lacey’s statements in an April interview with HYPEBEAST, quipping “It’s the ultimate grandpa shoe — not a dad shoe but a grandpa shoe. “You want to make sure that the general release customers are getting enough flavor, but at the same time you want to respect the people who were able to score the limited collaboration and not make something that looks just like it. How did a 14-year old shoe have such an impactful year? There’s also not much in the way of support either, it is a lifestyle shoe after all. I found the sizing pretty true to my sneaker size, it ran slightly long, probably due to the silhouette. “We focus on community, and participating [in sneaker culture] in a really respectful way,” states Lacey. The 990 franchise is the oldest continuous sneaker franchise in performance running. Now, we say ‘let’s go talk to people and find the best way to participate actively’.”. Key Features: Casablanca’s first New Balance collaboration, the 327 “Idealiste” makes use of premium materials and eye-catching, summer-ready colors. In fact, Jobs loved the 990 line so much that rumor has it he may have helped design the 992. If you’re on the love-it part of the train, definitely get on board when you see a colour way you like. The upper part features lightweight materials, highlighted with a bold, oversized "N" logo … And what a silhouette it is, it’s polarising but if you like it, there’s loads of colourways coming out this year. The lightweight suede/nylon construction offers optimal breathability for added … The 990 franchise is the oldest continuous sneaker franchise in performance running. “There was definitely a bit of pent-up desire around the shoe. The brown rubber outsole, with it’s octopus sucker-like grip pattern wraps from the top box, along the bottom of the shoe and high up the back heel. And that’s not even mentioning the brand’s roster of other collaborative partners, a dynamic assemblage that ranges from Salehe Bembury to WTAPS, from Casablanca to Aimé Leon Dore. On a stroll through New York City on Valentine's Day, of all days, Holmes entrusted a pair of impossible-to-find New Balance 327 Casablanca sneakers to ostensibly lead her into the arms of … ‘We’re going to stretch and grow the brand in really interesting ways in the years to come.”. There was the return to mainstream prominence of the 992 and the 1300. Launched last month in collaboration with Casablanca, the sporty new silhouette is finally coming to the masses this week with the brand’s first standard release, which offers the 327 in three fresh colorways. Exaggerated sportswear-inspired details bring the New Balance big boys 327 casual sneakers to life. They're collaged from … A brand-new lifestyle silhouette with a healthy dose of retro flair, the 327 was equal parts past and present, giving off a look that wasn’t dated — but also wasn’t loaded with in-your-face modern day technology. However, the soon-to-be 115-year old brand has no plans of slowing down. Both Stray Rats and Aimé Leon Dore took a crack at the 827, and ALD made the 550 one of the year’s most unexpected hits: a retro hoop shoe that was gobbled up by consumers and swooned over by influential Instagram archive pages. It’s safe to say that something as left-field as a collaboration with the polymathic Smith was entirely born out of this new ethos. Let’s face it: bringing a new silhouette to market is a challenge in the modern-day sneaker climate. If you’ve yet to pick up a pair, our New Balance 327 sizing and style guide might just be your go-to reference to clear up any doubts. is throwing their hat into the ring, with two exclusive new colorways, … Inspired by our '70s heritage designs, the 327 men's running shoes boast unmatched comfort and a casual aesthetic. Though not a heritage silhouette, like the 827 or 550, the 327’s arrival was heralded in the same way: with a desirable collaboration. They tend to spring from open, honest conversations between a sneaker brand and a collaborative party. We appreciate your support in allowing HYPEBEAST ads, where we can share contents from the latest fashion, to those culturally relevant. Looking at how the sole aggressively tapers into the mid foot, then out towards the forefoot is one of my favourite things about the shoe. Good footwear collaborations don’t always start with a lightbulb moment, an earth-shaking design or a clever colorway. But right now, we’re checking out the colourful M327PRD which New Balance created to celebrate LGBTQ communities and Pride month. Yes, the collabs are more expensive and are definitely hard to get, but there are loads of colours coming out this year, which means that you’re likely to find one you like which is easy to pick up. New Balance dominated 2020. How did they walk the fine line between the inclusivity of general releases and the exclusivity of limited collaborations, all while satisfying a growing lifestyle fanbase? A perfect way to balance out any look, these kicks have the swag and comfort needed for your kiddo to … Totally, it’s a pretty inexpensive lifestyle shoe. The lightweight suede and mesh construction offers optimal breathability for added … Brand new silhouettes like the 327, the Tokyo Design Studio’s RC_1300 and Jaden Smith’s Vision Racer. Personally I love it. However, no matter what we do we want to remind consumers just who we — and the brand we’re collaborating with — are.”. “This project was an opportunity to create with no restraints,” Bembury told HYPEBEAST in a September interview. We struck a nerve with that shoe, and knew we had a hit when all the samples at our headquarters went missing.”, It’s not just the brand — and its voracious consumers — that had a healthy appreciation for the 327’s past-meets-present design language: its collaborators did too. “People had been crying out for a proper 992 re-release for a while,” says Brad Lacey, senior global design director at New Balance. “Maybe we’re sitting with someone like Teddy Santis, going through the archives and riffing on what one another likes,” said Lacy. We’ve given our heritage runner a bold new look with the 327. A cornucopia of compelling collaborations. The revival of more obscure models like the 827 and 550. Privacy Policy. Just how did New Balance do it? Yearning, that and the aforementioned familiarity. Spotlighting key locations around the home of Everton Football Club. If you were looking for a retro runner to run with, this isn’t it. From the 990 line to models like the aforementioned 1300, the seminal 574 and — of course — signature gray color schemes, several New Balance products offer a reassuring dose of familiarity. Even Apple co-founder Steve Jobs thought so: his well-known uniform of a black turtleneck and blue jeans was often rounded off with a pair of 991s, or in later days the 992. “You’re going to see things that surprise you, things that make you think twice in 2021 and beyond,” said Lacey. “Sometimes it’s a design-led conversation, and other times it’s a commercial decision with us expanding on a space we’re already in. Outside of Bembury’s 2002R, Santis’ ALD collaborations and the other entities listed above, NB’s open way of thinking also helped cultivate relationships with partners wide-ranging as Chicago designer Joe FreshGoods and esteemed Japanese brands WTAPS and Snow Peak. Though the 990 line may boast several classics and a near 40-year history, some more under-the-radar silhouettes from the Boston-based brand’s archives caused considerable buzz as well. The two men’s sized sneakers in the capsule … Two of these were the 827, an artfully-layered runner that was first introduced in 1997 and the 550, an ultra-niche basketball shoe from way back in 1989. Love it or hate it, the New Balance 327 oozes retro styling but still looks modern. That’s the simplest way to put it. An reworked version of a 2019 collaboration. The upper made of nylon and multicoloured suede panels is bright and fun. An open-minded ethos was present in the vast majority of what the brand did over the course of the year — which is why collaborations have been discussed so heavily over the course of this article — and was the connecting thread in releases as divergent as the 992 and Smith’s signature sneakers. All Rights Reserved. “The look is inherently familiar, so people feel confident wearing it, and they get the enhanced fit and comfort of current-day material construction as well. “We really went back to place ourselves in the mindset of a designer in the ‘70s, but give ourselves the tools of today” says Lacy. 2021 Hypebeast Limited. Unveils Their Exclusive New Balance 327 Colorways New Balance’s upcoming new 327 silhouette has been drawing plenty of attention in the past weeks, thanks to some high profile collaborators. Just like Lacy mentioned, consumers often want what they’re comfortable with. Almost. This collaboration allowed me to dissolve any distracting noise and create exactly what I envisioned.”, This freedom afforded to partners, trusting of the collaborative process and healthy mutual respect provided a bountiful harvest for New Balance and its co-conspirators alike. By. Pairing this sneaker with a subdued outfit is probably the way to go, although going all out with a multicoloured fit for the Gram will probably get you a bunch of serotonin hits. New Balance knows runners (or trainers depending on where you’re from). Teddy Santis Reveals Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 1300 Collaboration, Salehe Bembury's Bold New Balance 2002R Leads the Way in This Week's Best Footwear Drops, Titleist's Vokey Design Shop Releases SM8 Slate Blue Wedges, '90s Kids-Favorite Doritos 3D Crunch Returns in Chili Cheese Nacho and Spicy Ranch, hummel Returns to Normality for Football-Inspired SS21 Lookbook, 3sixteen Finishes the Year Strong With Annual Schott NYC Leather Jacket, BILLY’s and gravis Footwear Update the ROOM SHOE for FW20, Balenciaga's "Soccer" Sneaker Tackles "Fluo Yellow" With Ease, Kawhi Leonard and New Balance Drop Multi-Colored 990v5, Bembury told HYPEBEAST in a September interview. 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