Okay. We concede, homies. We think it's time to face the music. We're about to say something we thought we'd never say and it almost hurts a little, quite truthfully. Is it us or has New Balance been makin' some (low key) fire sneakers lately? We know. It's crazy, right? New Balance, once known as the suburban "Dad Shoe", made for the men married to soccer moms, drivin' around in minivans and station wagons, has rebranded itself into one of the most prominent lifestyle shoes within the sneaker community. The question is... How?
Let's talk it about, but before we discuss their rise back to prominence, let's take it back to the beginning.
New Balance: The History.
For a brand that started in the early 1900's, New Balance has come a long way. In their early years, they were primarily focused on "arch support," targeting retail workers, firefighters, police officers and more. Throughout the 1940's, they moved towards sports, placing an emphasis on tennis, baseball and boxing athletes. They made some progress and by the 1970's (after being sold and rebranded), they had changed their target audience and worked to become a top tier running shoe. You know what, friends? They succeeded.. AGAIN.
The 1976 "New Balance 320" was the first shoe to introduce the "N" logo. They also changed from each sneaker having a release "name" to a unique model number. In 1982, they released the New Balance 420 which remains just as popular over 40 years later. In 1985, they introduced the 1300. Its $130 price point made it their most expensive running shoe and self-proclaimed "best running shoe ever made." Throughout the late '80's and '90's, they continued to develop the brand. They developed "lifestyle" models and broke into the fashion world with their 576 model; featured on Elle Magazine in 1998.
(Pictured Above - New Balance 320)
In the early 2000's, they dropped their "Endorsed By No One" slogan. Over the last 20+ years, New Balance has been seen on the feet of some of the most prominent figures worldwide. From former US Presidents (Bill Clinton and Barack Obama) to Steve Jobs, Heidi Klum & more, New Balance has continued to grow their popularity. In 2018, they partnered with Marvel and dropped two Black Panther models; the Marvel X New Balance 574 Sport and the Marvel X New Balance 990v4. Both were extremely successful collaborations.
Their current "We Got Now" campaign has proven to be a factual premonition. New Balance is absolutely crushin' it, homies. From NBA Superstars, Jamal Murray & Kawhi Leonard to WNBA up and comers Cameron Brink, New Balance is trending to become a top tier "lifestyle" shoe of the new generation. Media impressions have skyrocketed damn near 200 percent since 2021 and younger individuals (teenagers to early adults) are rockin' NB's heavy. In 2022, they did $4.2 Billion in sales; up 214% from their 2008 total of $1.35 Billion (according to runrepeat.com).
(Rich Paul & Adele | Photo - Allen Berezovsky)
New Balance remains nostalgically "vintage."
New Balance seems to be one of the many brands, styles and trends making its way back to popularity. Mom jeans, bell bottoms, overalls (with one strap unclipped), afros, etc. It's all on the rebrand. Why, you ask? Our hypothesis is simple. The younger generation grew up with cool, hip and "in the know" parents who have dope style and raised 'em right. Why else would old school hip hop (the Golden Era) still be played in every night club across the country? Why else would college students be rockin' "Red Hot Chili Peppers" and NWA t-shirts? The same reason sneakerheads are younger than ever? It reminds 'em of something and makes 'em feel like home.
Nostalgia is real. Way to go, dope parents.
New Balance makes a great shoe.
It's just the facts. We clean, paint and restore a significant amount of shoes, homies. We clean more New Balance than ever, but we definitely don't have to fix 'em much. They're a durable, quality, long lasting, (somewhat) trendy shoe. They don't tear easily, the paint doesn't chip often and the suede doesn't fade or blend. New Balance is a very well made shoe and we think that matters to people now. The days of wearin' a badly made shoe for "logo status" is seemin' to fade some. Along with that, individuals are workin' to start new trends as the fashion world evolves... and we LOVE IT.
In conclusion, we never thought we'd say it, but we're (low key) New Balance fans over here at clean kicks. The more we see 'em in "The Shop" and/or "The Shoe Box", the more we like 'em. The different models, the color ways, their well made durability and the overall brand impresses us. There, we said it. Stay up on our articles as we'll continue to drop news (hopefully) month.
In the meantime, schedule a New Balance Sneaker Treatment today.