On a 15 September 2023 episode of The Complex Sneakers Show, we’re graced with a sneaker story that will get even the least interested person in sneakers to pause and go, “Hey, now that’s pretty cool.”

Matthew Welty, journalist at Complex, shares that the uber-famous Michael Jordan Jumpman pose has its roots in a photo found in a 1984 issue of Life Magazine. The kicker is that Jodan was wearing a pair of New Balances. Nike paid for two transparencies of those photos, which inspired the iconic Jumpman silhouette logo later on. If you’d like to know more, Brendan Dunne from Complex wrote all about it.

Michael Jordan wearing New Balances
Credit: Jacobus “Co” Rentmeester

This moment in sneaker history is just the kind of obscure yet mindblowing story you’d expect to be etched into the fabric of New Balance’s story. The fact that a brand that has been synonymous with being culturally uncool directly inspired—in no small way—the logo of arguably one of the coolest brands in the world is a paradox (and hilarious).

The Boston-based brand isn’t a “hype” one in the traditional sense. Rather, New Balance tends to have really cool moments that position them at the forefront of trends in a sort of roundabout way. But that isn’t to say there isn’t any intentionality behind their success.

There’s a method to the madness, if you will, as to why and how New Balance has become one of the most popular shoe brands of today and, by extension, successfully shaken off the reputation of being the brand that makes “boring dad shoes.”

New Balance Has a Penchant for Curating Clever Collaborations

The brand’s redemption story arguably began with incredibly intelligent collaboration choices. In 2019, they partnered with Aimé Leon Dore. ALD’s founder, Teddy Santis, is known for using premium materials in his builds, much like New Balance, making it the perfect partnership. The first shoes to be birthed were a couple of iterations of the iconic 997.

Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 997 pack
Credit: Aimé Leon Dore

Since then, we’ve seen ALD make their mark on New Balance models such as the 1906R, 550, 1000, 1300, and 860v2 to name a few. Their catalog is expansive and for a good reason. Santis’ penchant for reimagining retro aesthetics while using premium materials is right up NB fans’ alleys.

Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 993 pack (left); Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 860v2 pack (right)
Credit: Aimé Leon Dore

But it doesn’t stop there with New Balance. They’ve strategically partnered up with the likes of Joe Freshgoods, Salahe Bembury, Ronnie Fieg (Kith), and Justin Saunders (JJJJound). All are designers well-versed in their craft; who know exactly how to put the perfect spin on a pair of New Balances to have them resonate with fans.

Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1000 “Black Ice” (left); Salehe Bembury x New Balance 1906R “Heat Be Hot” pack (right)
Credits: Joe Freshgood & Salehe Bembury

The common thread between all of their iterations seems to be New Balance allowing them space to do what they do best; sans pretentiousness or the KPI to create a “hype pair”. This sort of authenticity is what fans of New Balance appreciate and purchase.

Many of the aforementioned designers have dropped and continue to drop heat with the brand in recent times, keeping New Balance relevant and at the forefront of the minds of consumers in 2024.

Kith x New Balance 1906R “Cream” (left); JJJJound x New Balance 2002R GORE-TEX pack (right)
Credits: Kith & JJJJound

New Balance Rosters Appropriate Ambassadors

In the same vein, New Balance cleverly chooses who it wants to front the brand. Are they big names? Sure. But they don’t just tap on clout. The celebrities they choose are also passionate designers in their own right, and have a drive to put the same level of attention to detail in a pair of New Balances as the brand itself.

American rapper and multi-hyphenate Action Bronson’s current discography with New Balance attests to that. Just take a look at the level of thought and detail he’s put behind the 1906R in “Medusa Azul” and 990v6 in “Baklava”, for instance.

Action Bronson x New Balance 1906R “Medusa Azul” (left); Action Bronson x New Balance 990v6 “Baklava” (right)
Credits: Action Bronson & @poggytheman

Jack Harlow is a similar example. The American rapper has been a long-time passionate fan of New Balance. Which is why they signed him in 2022. At the time, New Balance chief marketing officer and SVP of merchandizing Chris Davis said in a statement, “Jack is a rising star and an authentic fan of New Balance. We could not ask for a more ideal ambassador to represent our brand. We are consistently impressed with Jack’s devoted passion for his craft and his relentless desire to improve.”

The first shoe birthed out of the partnership, the Jack Harlow x New Balance 1906R, speaks for itself.

Jack Harlow x New Balance 1906R
Credit: u/MiaNguyen2016

Fashion Trends in 2024 work in New Balance’s Favor

While this isn’t something New Balance can control, they definitely have capitalized on it. 2024 fashion trends like Gorpcore, the resurgence of early 2000s fashion, the return of old school runners, and appreciation for the reimagined dad shoe-aesthetic in general all play into the brand’s strengths.

A$AP Rocky rocking a gorpcore aesthetic
Credit: Christian Vierig/Getty Images

On top of this, there are disgruntled fans of mainstay popular shoe brands like Nike who complain about the lack of innovation on the Swoosh’s end. This has resulted in Nike dropouts enrolling in New Balance’s roster instead.

During an internal Nike meeting some years back, this quote was allegedly taken: “High heat, hype is ‘killing the culture’ and consumers are migrating towards New Balance and smaller, independent brands.”

This isn’t a dig at Nike; they’re still the big boys in the game. But all that’s to say that New Balance isn’t a shoe brand to be slept upon any longer. They seem to be in this for the long haul and if their formula remains the same—if they keep innovating—longevity will be their portion.

If you’re interested in copping a pair of New Balances, we’ve curated a list of the best New Balance shoes of 2024 (so far).

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