THE HISTORY OF THE BRAND: A GUARANTEE OF QUALITY AND COMFORT
New Balance , one of the very first sneaker brands, was born in Massachusetts in 1906 long before Puma, Nike or Adidas, under the exact name of The New Balance Arch Company . Shoemaker by trade, William J. Riley , the creator of the brand aims to help people with foot problems. New Balance's first activity was therefore to develop shoes with orthopedic insoles designed to provide better arch support. For the record, the name "New Balance" was directly inspired by the appearance of chicken feet. By observing his latest, William Riley realized that their 3 points of support offered a perfect balance of balance and distribution of force, which was greatly useful to him in the realization of his orthopedic insoles.
The tailor-made manufacturing applied to the famous orthopedic insoles was naturally reflected in the development of the brand's future shoes. This is why special attention is paid to technologies soles. Always with concern for comfort , different widths of foot are proposed according to the sizes available on some models of sneakers . The materials, meanwhile, are often made from premium materials such as genuine pigskin and all of the equipment manufacturer's pairs are made by hand .
A NEW REFERENCE IN THE WORLD OF RUNNING
Subsequently, William Riley bequeaths his company to his daughter, an act that will take a completely different turn for the American firm. Indeed, it is in 1961 that New Balance is releasing its first pair of running shoes: the New Balance Trackster , which will be the first performance model to be offered in multiple widths. The rise of sport and the democratization of running in the 1960s were a real marketing opportunity for the brand, which gradually began to take a place in this sector, to abandon that of orthopedic insoles, but not completely. Indeed, by offering several widths to the New Balance Trackster, the brand positions itself as specialist footwear and more particularly in the comfort of the latter, thanks to the legacy of William Riley and his advanced knowledge in terms of orthopaedics.
In the years that followed, New Balance 's popularity was at its peak, thanks in particular to the New York Marathon. It will be at the feet of almost all its participants and will make itself known throughout the world.
NEW BALANCE 327
This lifestyle model imagined by the British designer Charlotte Lee draws its inspiration from the Boston brand's 70s archive models. Presented with the colors Green And Orange during the parade Casablanca by designer Charaf Tajer in April 2020 , the New Balance 327 displays a silhouette that is both trendy and retro with optimal comfort. Its noble materials such as perforated leather, suede and nylon give it a luxurious look allowing it to be connected with the universe of the haute couture brand.
NEW BALANCE 550
Originally released in 1989 , the New Balance 550 features an upper in leather soft smooth and mesh perforated resting on a rubber sole premium . The silhouette was originally intended for the fields of basketball but it does not succeed in imposing itself against the models of sneakers competition such as the Air Jordan 4 which appealed more to the players of the time. Must wait 2020 and the collaboration with the label Aimee Leon Dore of Teddy Santis so that the retro model finds its audience. Accessible, qualitative and comfortable, the vintage silhouette multiplies the successful iterations like the colors Red And Green .
NEW BALANCE 990, 991, 992
The story of New Balance 990, 991 and 992 starts in 1982 when New Balance presents the 990 , one of the very first pairs of unisex shoes, intended for running, sold at the price of $100 , an astronomical sum for the time. The model stands out for the quality of its materials Made In USA, sound incomparable comfort and its color code gray And white that has become emblematic. Thanks to the success of the first versions, the Boston brand is introducing a new model in 2006 , the 992 , on the occasion of 100 years from the equipment manufacturer. The latter is greatly popularized by Steve Jobs during Apple Keynotes. Then will come a multitude of new products such as the 990v3 or the 990v5 who expand the range thanks to their technical innovations for new sneakers.
NEW BALANCE 2002R
There New Balance 2002R , originally released in 2010 , was a pair of shoes exclusively Made In USA. Unveiled via exclusive drops, the lowtop presented itself as the perfect mix between luxury and running. But it was only 10 years later, in 2020 , that the model enjoys international success with the collaboration 2002R Peace Be The Journey from the American designer Salehe Bembury . Its materials premium , sound comfort and its accessible price instantly appeal to sneakerheads everywhere. In 2021 , the Boston equipment manufacturer is partnering with the Chinese designer Yue Wu to create the Redefined Future pack, commonly referred to as Protection Pack who presents the colors Rain Cloud , sea-salt And Phantom .
COLLABORATIONS REFLECTING THE BRAND'S STRONG VALUES
Through its history and its specialization in comfort and performance, New Balance conveys values of excellence , quality and innovation . Today at the feet of athletes and streetwear lovers , New Balance has been able to draw on its running experience to open up to the sneaker market , in particular thanks to its various collaborations with different brands.
We note for example the recent sneakers in collaboration with the label JJJJound , the designer Joe Freshgoods or the New York brand, Aime Léon Dore . All these models are available for men and women on Wethenew.
Unlike Nike or Adidas, which rely on ambassadors to promote their models, New Balance is more focused on basketball itself, focusing on design and the technical specificities of shoes. By linking the use of premium materials, successful color mixes and the adaptation of trends to its models, New Balance is now a brand rooted in the sneaker community: available for men and women!