New Balance Blog

New Balance just celebrated their 100th year as a company however their next anniversary is just around the corner. The 576 is turning 20 in 2008 and Atmos arrives early to the party with their Fujin model, named after the Shinto god of wind.

Fujin “is portrayed as a terrifying dark demon wearing a leopard skin” (1) hence the black color and leopard pattern on the heel. The tongue and insole depict Fujin himself, complete with billowing wind bag.

A nice mix of the traditional and contemporary, this one is due for a Japanese release in September.

Via Kix-Files

I think this is the final and best batch of photos from NB’s recent Shake! 320 night in Tokyo. Here we have detailed views of the 574 and 320 one-offs produced for the design competition.

I’d say after seeing all the photos my favorites are definitely both of the Grey One x Dez models for keeping a tasteful and retro feel yet with some updated graphic design and graf influences. I would buy these in a heartbeat. But the others are very close behind. Large respect reaching out to the designers and to those who facilitated the event. Here’s hoping NB takes some to production.

Shake! 320 Night one-off 574s

Shake! 320 Night one-off 320s

Grey One x Dez Einswell x NB 574

Grey One x Dez Einswell x NB 320

Crooked Tongues x NB 574

Crooked Tongues x NB 320

Dave’s Quality Meat x NB 574

Dave’s Quality Meat x NB 320

Via Freshness 1, 2

Crooked Tongues took part in the recent New Balance Shake! 320 night in Tokyo, collaborating on a one-off 320 and 574 for the occasion. It’s a shame these will never be released but here is their in-depth coverage of the experience…

“Lately the shelves have been crammed with some of the most garish shifts from New Balance’s once sober colour palette we’ve ever seen, with neon and fish scales aplenty. [Ed. – NBB does not condone fish-bashing! ;)] With this in mind, when we received the brief from hobby:tech and crew at KIKS TYO to go head to head with the Grey One and DQM teams on special one-off NBs, we accepted the challenge. No strangers to designing product to limited time limits, once we got the CADs of the shoes in question we were a little surprised – a 574 wouldn’t be too much trouble, but a 320? It’s definitely a classic – the forked toe panel and low profile design was a marathon-winning revolutionary product in the mid-70’s, and a shoe that connoisseurs like the Oi Polloi boys treat with reverence, yet it’s impossible to beat the dual-colour delight’s of the shoe’s heyday. But, seeing as the shoe was being celebrated in Japan with some tasty in-store displays at NB’s Tokyo store, it had to be part of this double act.”

“Naturally the duo had to have an underlying theme, and with a lot of love in the office for the simplicity of the palette that a shoe like the 850 carried. Simple, eye-catching and effective, rather than jogging breathlessly alongside hyperstrikes, coated in garish leathers in an effort to keep up. were the order of the day. The notion of shoe makeups that looked like performance releases of specific eras rather than the usual limited edition lifestyle fodder was optioned in original discussions regarding last year’s CT/NB quartet, but here, it made perfect sense. Alas, NBXCT embroidery toward the forefoot never made production due to issues regarding such blatant dual branding, but on seeing the final 320, designed in order that keeping the white toward the front would give them a cleaner look when teamed with jeans, and a Prestoesque appearance, we were glad that the omission was made.”

“In the flesh, we were shocked by how nicely our creations turned out. Serious attention to detail and faithfulness to our designs from the guys in the NB lab ensured beautiful leathers, some offbeat touches that still worked like the metallic heel panel on the 574s, and even the toebox fabric looked exactly as specified. The Crooked Tongues ‘classic colours’ lettering was faithfully reproduced on the footbeds and hangtags, to try to bring a little of the CT obsessiveness to take out our US ‘rivals’ but whereas the battle between NB’s regional releases has been fought online, in line with the brilliant unpredictability of Japan, we had to lyrically duke it out by drumming up support onstage in front of a crowded nightclub. Time will tell as to who’s the eventual winner, but sadly, regardless of the outcome, these two creations won’t be getting a release. But we’ll always have the memories. Well, the ones that the local brew and severe jet-lag didn’t erode. Thanks to all at KIKS TYO, Hiroki at Passover and New Balance Japan/UK for the opportunity…”

Via Crooked Tongues

Last Friday 8th June at Club Asia in Tokyo was New Balance’s official party for the relaunched 320 model (previously on NBB).

The night included custom 320s and 574s by top sneaker designers, brands and stores including Crooked Tongues (UK), Dave’s Quality Meat (NYC), and GreyOne x Dez (LA). There were also a number of DJs, live acts and dancers.

Here’s some exclusive photo coverage courtesy of Freshness. Photos by AKI. Big up Freshness and Kiks Tyo for the thorough coverage!

DJ hobby:tech

Tomoyuki Tanaka (Fantastic Plastic Machine)

Via Fatlace:

“Kiks TYO brought together Grey One, Crooked Tongues, KIKS TYO, DQM to help bring back the NB 320. Here’s some photos from the Sneaker Jack photoshoot held at the NB store in Tokyo (Harajuku).”

DQM x NB 320, 574

Crooked Tongues x NB 320, 574

Grey One (the black shoe on the left and the crew)

DQM track-inspired colorway. CF style material up on the toe.

Grey One, Crooked Tongues, DQM

Kiks Tyo x G-Shock x NB 320, 574 (previously on NBB)

NB folding bike

Photoshoot crew