Your basket is currently empty!
Month: January 2022
A 2022 look at the resurgence of New Balance
New Balance has seen a dramatic rise in popularity over the last few years, transforming from the brand that your parents wear into the brand that your favourite icons rock. There are a number of reasons for this, but we are going to boil it down into two categories, sneaker collaborations and new models.
Image: New Balance
Firstly, sneaker collaborations have been a game-changer for New Balance, working with talents like Salehe Bembury and Joe Freshgoods to bring an air of coolness back to the brand. With thought out sneaker rollouts, and fine detailing down to the shoe boxes, their efforts paid off in the form of their sneaker’s resale values skyrocketing. Thanks to them, New Balance has been re-introduced to the younger generation, providing a breath of fresh air from the same Nike and Adidas silhouettes that have dominated the market over the last few years. And collaborations with brands like Bodega and Kith, whom are already established in the Sneaker game, have brought new eyes to what’s going on at New Balance, further increasing the pandemonium around their latest products.
Image: Aimé Leon Dore
But the real power of the collaboration can be observed by Aimé Leon Dore’s recent link-up with New Balance, primarily on the 80’s basketball silhouette, the 550. Once a forgotten gem, Aimé Leon Dore’s cosign and new rendition of the model turned it into one of the hottest sneakers in New York, and subsequently the rest of the world.
Image: New Balance
Secondly, New Balance has introduced new models that have managed to rival the success of classic models like the 990 and the 574. The New Balance 327 is the standout model, designed by Charlotte Lee, which has taken the world by storm. Whilst it hasn’t had the most hyped collaborations, it has consistently been pushing units across the world, and only a quick look at social media will show the love fans have for the model. Moreover, the popular running model, the FuelCell RC Elite V2 has taken leaps and bounds since its effective debut at the Olympics. And Jaden Smith’s Vision Racer is also worthy of a mention for diversifying New Balance’s catalogue and pro-actively moving towards a more sustainable future with its “Surplus” colourway.
Seven sneaker releases to get excited for in 2022
Air Jordan 3 Retro “Fire Red”
Image: VerseOne
First on our list is the return of an old classic, the Air Jordan 3 in a Fire Red colorway, that last retro-ed in 2013. The fashionable look covers Jordan’s 3rd signature model in white and grey leather, with red accents around the shoe, and a black elephant print on the mudguard and heel counter. Look out for these classics this August, arriving in their original packaging for the first time since 1988.
Union x Air Jordan 2
Image: Sneaker Bar Detroit (SBD)
Since the Off-White Air Jordan 2 was released late last year, the hype around the Air Jordan 2 has officially returned. And it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere with A Ma Manière and J Balvin both expected to release their own renditions of the model later this year, but we wanted to focus on the upcoming Union x Air Jordan 2 collab set for a 2022 release. Sporting similar hues to the Union x Air Jordan 4’s that were released in 2020 and 2021, early images suggest the shoe will feature a canvas and suede upper with aged detailing on the collar and laces.
Yeezy Sulfur 450
Image: YankeeKicks
One of the craziest silhouettes of last year, the Yeezy 450 is expected to return this April, this time in a monochrome Sulfur finish. The soft yellow hue will cover the stretchable knit upper and crazy midsole that climbs up the sides of the shoe, whilst the rope laces look to be dressed in a slightly lighter sail color. Whilst still a controversial model, it looks like the 450 will continue to make an impact on the sneaker game long into 2022.
Size? x New Balance 550 “Cordura Pack”
Image: Sizeofficial
Maybe it’s the UK bias, but our first glance at the New Balance 550 “Cordura Pack” in collaboration with UK-based retailer Size? is enough to get us thinking this collection may make some waves in the sneaker community. The already popular 550 model looks to be taking on a suede and mesh upper, with two renditions coming in earthy tones as well as another pair dressed in predominantly grey. This is New Balance after all.
Tom Sachs x NikeCraft General Purpose Shoe
Image: pvasneakers
Known in the sneaker world for his insanely popular Mars Yard shoes with Nike, Tom Sachs and Nike are expected to debut a new model in 2022. The General Purpose Shoe, deciding to skip a fancier name, looks to have a clean and simple upper, and a thick rubber sole. Its focus is on practicality and simplicity, but a sizeable amount of hype is attached to anything Nike x Tom Sachs, so expect this to be a main talking point in sneakers this year.
Crocodile Crocs x Salehe Bembury
Image: SaleheBembury
Crocs have been making a crazy comeback over the last few years, and the latest reason for this was sneaker designer Salehe Bembury’s unique take on the classic clog. With resale prices skyrocketing above the original colorways retail prices, Bembury has once again taken to Instagram to unveil a brand-new colorway. Sporting a bright green upper and with the post captioned “Color: Crocodile” the pair seems to take inspiration from the brand’s famous crocodile logo. We can expect this pair to fly off shelves if it sees the light of day this year.
Air Jordan 1 Yellow Toe
Image: HanZuYing
Although originally rumored to release in 2019, the Air Jordan 1 “Yellow Toe” is expected to finally hit retailers this summer. It will feature the same color blocking as the Air Jordan 1 Bred Toe; however, it will swap the original red detailing for a bright yellow, hence why it has earned the “Taxi” nickname. With the Air Jordan 1 coming off an extremely successful 2021, we know there will be a lot of eyes on this sneaker if it finally drops this summer.
