New Balance is one of the biggest sneaker and sportswear brands in the entire world, and just like any other imprint of its ilk, it has a long and storied history. While brands like Adidas and Nike were founded just a few decades ago, it is important to remember that New Balance has actually been around since the early 20th century. It's a brand that has gone through various eras, and to this day, New Balance continues to evolve with the times.
The history of the brand can be traced all the way back to the year 1906 when an Irish immigrant by the name of William J. Riley founded the New Balance Arch Support company. Riley was living in Boston at the time of the brand's launch, and for the most part, he simply focused on providing arch support products that would go into people's shoes. Interestingly enough, Riley was inspired by the foot of a chicken, which is known for having three toes. New Balance's initial arch support products featured three prongs, which Riley believed were better for balance. He was so committed to this idea that he even had a chicken's foot on his desk to show people how his products worked.
For the first few decades of the company's existence, Riley and his business partners would focus on arch support accessories. In 1960, the brand ultimately changed course by developing a multi-width shoe called the "Trackster." As time went on, marathon running became extremely popular, and Boston was the perfect city for this burgeoning sport. As a result, New Balance decided to get in on the action by creating new sneakers that featured fresh technology. Thus, a whole plethora of amazing shoes were born.
The Creation Of Dad Shoes
One of New Balance's most incredible creations is the New Balance 574, which was developed all the way back in 1988. The shoe is constructed with mesh and suede while offering a reinforced midsole that contains lightweight EVA foam cushioning. The shoe was designed with runners in mind, and when the sneaker was first released, running is exactly what people used it for. But just like iconic basketball silhouettes such as the Converse Chuck Taylor, fans began adopting this as a lifestyle shoe. One could even make the argument that this was New Balance's first dad shoe thanks to the fact that older men love to wear these with a pair of jeans while mowing the lawn or grilling a steak. It's an incredibly versatile shoe that New Balance still gives a ton of attention to.
Speaking of dad shoes, how can anyone forget the New Balance 1500, which was first released in 1993? This runner is also seen as a common lifestyle shoe that can be worn in pretty much any casual situation. Famously, this shoe was frequently worn by President Bill Clinton. Clinton was photographed numerous times while running in these, and as a result, the shoe gained quite a bit of popularity. There is no bigger influencer than the President, and New Balance learned that the old-fashioned way. Considering an older man made the shoe famous, it is easy to see how New Balance could garner the dad shoe reputation that it still holds.
Another example of New Balance developing dad shoes was with 2001's New Balance 991. This chunky-looking runner was made with quality materials that provide the consumer with amazing unparalleled comfort. In fact, this shoe was so good that Steve Jobs wore it when he introduced the iPhone all the way back in 2007. Eventually, Jobs moved on to the 992, which was the natural progression of the aesthetics created by the 991. Of course, Jobs was known for turtlenecks and jeans, which further adds to the whole "dad" aesthetic. Needless to say, New Balance has always stayed true to its reputation.
The Rise Of The Dad Shoe Trend
Considering New Balance's reputation as a "dad shoe" brand, it should come as no surprise that they were more than prepared for the rise of the dad shoe in 2017. Most sneakerheads will debate how the dad shoe trend became a thing, although most will tell you that it was thanks to a certain artist that will remain nameless right now. Either way, New Balance was right there with a whole fleet of amazing silhouettes that were perfect for consumers looking to get with the times.
It was during this time that fans started to become hip to the fact that New Balance has a whole plethora of fantastic shoes that contain quality materials and even better colorways. The dad shoe trend made it cool to wear New Balance again, and it even spawned the signing of NBA superstar Kawhi Leonard, as well as rapper Jack Harlow. To this day, the dad shoe trend is still in full effect to the point where it might not even be a trend anymore. Simply put, dad shoes are the norm, and everyone wants to work with New Balance.
Best Collaborations
New Balance's recent surge in popularity has led to an increase in its influence when it comes to streetwear. Sneakerheads want to wear New Balance, and some of the biggest clothing brands are aware of this. For instance, since 2019, Teddy Santis' signature brand Aime Leon Dore has been collaborating with New Balance. Perhaps their most famous venture together has been on the New Balance 550, which is slowly reaching Nike Dunk territory with how timeless the silhouette is. Numerous colorways of this collaboration have been created, and so far, fans can't get enough of them. In fact, New Balance and Santis work so well together that the latter has been hired as the brand's creative director for the Made In USA line.
Famous designer Joe Freshgoods has also teamed up with New Balance over the last few years. Their collaborations have been on silhouettes like the New Balance 990v3 and the 993. They have also come through with some basketball sneakers, particularly in regard to Kawhi Leonard's signature line. This is a collaborative partnership that has led to some gorgeous colorways that show off Joe Freshgoods' creativity. Our favorite would have to be the "Performance Art - Arctic Blue" colorway, seen below.
Salehe Bembury is one of the most famous names in the sneaker world. He is a sneaker designer who used to work for Yeezy GAP, and he is currently the vice president of sneakers and men's footwear at Versace. Needless to say, he is a fantastic collaborative partner for a brand like New Balance. NB has never been considered a luxury brand, although Bembury brought his luxury sensibilities to the 574 YURT which has a wild midsole that will remind you of a dad shoe created by a designer brand. The "Emerald Sky" colorway is particularly interesting, and it could be considered one of the best collabs of 2022.
Sneaker boutique Bodega and New Balance have a long history of working together. Their first collaboration with one another came all the way back in 2013, and since that time, they have released collaborations every year since 2018. These collabs are always unique and contain color schemes that you simply would not see anywhere else. The exclusivity involved has always piqued the interest of fans, and in 2022, these two continue to deliver the goods. Among some of the best New Balance x Bodega collaborations is the 998 "Mass Transit" model which came out back in 2018. The mix of blue, red, and orange works well with the grey upper, making this shoe a head-turner.
Ronnie Fieg is the genius behind one of New York's favorite brands/stores, KITH. KITH has collaborated with everyone over the years, and since 2012, Fieg has been steadily bringing his designs to New Balance. Having worked for Asics in the past, Ronnie knows a thing or two about dad shoe runners. As a collaborator with New Balance, Ronnie has worked on a whole host of NB silhouettes, and whenever these two team up, you know sneakerheads are in for some fire. One fantastic collaboration is this beige, aqua, and orange number. The 997.5 "Cyclades" is an iconic collab between the two that dropped in 2015. Fans still remember these, and they just prove that New Balance isn't afraid to mix unique colors.
Let us know your favorite New Balance models, in the comments section down below.
