[Update 17 Aug 2023] thisisneverthat has unveiled the official product images of their New Balance 550 collection. Take a look at the detailed shots on the article slider above as we await the pairs’ arrival next week.

[Update 16 Aug 2023] It seems that the thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 collection is arriving earlier than expected. The pairs has been confirmed to drop in US on 23 August 6pm PDT and across South Korea, Japan, Europe and China on 24 August at different times. For more info, check out the full details here.

[Update 14 Aug 2023] After months, the collaborative thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 now has a release date. Although the parties haven’t acknowledged this in any official capacity, the rumor mill has the shoes purported to drop on 4 September on their official websites. Stay tuned as we try to ascertain this!

[Update 2 Aug 2023] Retail images of the thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 have surfaced, courtesy of The Hip Store. While a firm release date has not yet been confirmed, the appearance of these images point towards an imminent drop. Check it out via the top slider above and stay tuned for more updates!

[Update 23 Jun 2023] In courtesy of @le.syndrome, more detailed images of the thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 collection have now surfaced, alongside the reveal of a triple collab graphic tee with Paperboy Paris. Take a look at the shots on the article slider above as we await updates on a wider release.

[Update 22 Jun 2023] Ahead of the Paperboy pop-up event, a third colorway of the thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 has surfaced. Following the brown and pink/black pairs, a teal green colorway was posted by sneaker account @le.syndrome.

The pair features the same style of color blocking as the previously-leaked colors, with green dressing most of the canvas upper and black appearing on the cracked “N” logo, sole and liners. As expected, branding of both New Balance and thisisneverthat can be seen on the tongue and heel.

[Update 19 Jun 2023] There’s nothing to substantiate this but the titular thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 may finally materialize! The two parties are putting together an event at Paperboy Paris to reveal their upcoming collaboration. Putting our Sherlock Holmes hat on, we surmise that it may be these exact 550s, considering the Paperboy mascot on the event poster is dressed in them as well.

The project will be unveiled at Paperboy Paris on 22 June, 4–8 pm. For those of us not in the vicinity, we’ll find out before the week is over! You’ll hear about it from us here, at this very page!

[Update 15 Jun 2023] The thisisneverthat x New Balance 550 has remained an enigma since images of a brown sample emerged. It remains a mystery still but with a new colorway surfacing—this time in a black/pink makeup—there’s reason to believe that the pair is in indeed production. Should more details surface, you can bet you’ll hear about it from us. So stay tuned!

Coming off of its highly successful 2002R collaboration last year, South Korean streetwear label thisisneverthat is poised to reunite with New Balance once more. This time, the duo will work on the New Balance 550.

Looking through early images, the contemporary streetwear brand has elected to apply brown canvas on the majority of the 550’s upper, while the iconic New Balance “N” logo appears distressed in a full black leather outfit. The laces have also been swapped out with a more rope-like material to better suit the rugged aesthetic, while thisisneverthat and New Balance share real estate on the tongue label.

Around the back, the South Korean brand’s text logo is embroided onto the heel, while a black textured midsole rounds off the design.

Stay tuned for more information regarding this collaboration. In the meantime, check out an early look via the top slider above.

In other sneaker-related news, check out the Nike Dunk Low “Grey Corduroy”.

Images via FullRess