22-Feb-2010
Posted by : Brett Golliff
“I heard the beat and I ain’t know what to write…”
This first blog post was hard, I didn’t really know where I wanted to take it. Should I just introduce myself? Or should I come with an impact? I figure the first option would be best. So let me start off by introducing myself, I am Brett Golliff. I am a Designer 1 at New Balance, located just outside of Boston, MA. I spend most of my days drawing shoes. It has provided me a great living for the past three years of my life. Continue reading for Counter Kicks’ brand new series: Design Insight With Brett Golliff…
25-Jan-2010
Posted by : John Brilliant
As we originally featured here, one of New Balance’s classic basketball silhouettes made famous by former L.A. Lakers forward James Worthy has returned this year. This particular model features a White base with Blue and Orange accents and is currently featured as SLAM’s “Kick of the Day”. Check our previous New Balance 790 (Spring 2010 Lookbook) coverage for the full story behind the shoes.
22-Jan-2010
Posted by : Yale Schalk
We first gave you a look at the New Balance 790 Retro here in our NB Spring 2010 Lookbook series. A classic New Balance Basketball silhouette, the shoe is hitting retail right now in James Worthy-Los Angeles Lakers White/Purple and Boston Celtics White/Green colorways. Two more styles of the shoe are on the way in March: White/Blue and White/Navy. Retail price for all models is $80. Continue reading for more backstory and detailed looks at the New Balance 790 Retro.
13-Jan-2010
Posted by : Yale Schalk
Dropping this month, two of New Balance’s lifestyle runners unveil seven new color ways – three for the 670 and four for the 576. Made in New Balance’s Flimby, England factory for the U.K. market, the 670 gets a colorway makeover to the tune of Brown Suede/Mesh, Light Tan Suede/Mesh and Dark Tan Suede/Mesh, while the equally British 576 goes the Black Leather, Brown Leather, sand-hued Tan Suede and Grey Suede route.
The 670 was introduced in 1984 and is identified as one of the Sceptred Isle’s exclusive New Balance shoes, alongside the 576. The 576 began life in the 1980s as an American-built shoe for the United States’ east coast fashion-savvy troupe but undersold, ending its domestic run. Excess material was sent to Germany, where the 576 was reborn as a walking shoe that sold briskly for a few years. Then, when sales again waned, the 576 was shut down once more until 1997 when the model was restarted with higher quality textiles. It became a hit, and England soon became the 576’s adopted home where it remains in production today.
The new 670’s are priced $65-$130 and the 576 rings up at either $90 or $180 depending upon your shoe size. Read the Counter Kicks exclusive interview with New Balance’s Luis Navarro, Lifestyle Product Manager at the brand for more details on the company. Continue reading for images of all 7 colorways in the New Balance “Made In England” Collection.
12-Jan-2010
Posted by : Yale Schalk
Category : New Balance
Tags: 3M Scotchlite, Abzorb, Abzorb DTS, Abzorb SBS, C-CAP, ENCAP, Made In The USA, Maine, N-Durance, New Balance, New Balance 993, New Balance 996, New Balance 998, New England, Skowhegan
Though New Balance has long manufactured footwear in the United States, the company continues to emphasize its domestic roots and its commitment to those roots. To recognize this legacy, New Balance is unveiling new materials and colorways for three of its established runners – the 996, 998, and 993 - that will be made in the Skowhegan, Maine factory – one of five New Balance factories in the New England region. New Balance’s latest Made In The USA offerings will be released in the first quarter of 2010, beginning this month with an all-brown-leather upscale version of its heritage 993 silhouette. Following in February will be the 998 in Grey Suede/Mesh and the 996 in Navy Suede/Mesh. New Balance caps the series in March with an all-black-leather upscale 993.
The 996, 998, and 993 are all part of a long line of New Balance performance running shoes with crossover casual appeal that began in 1979 with the original 990 model. The 996, released in 1988, was the third shoe in the 990 series and featured ENCAP and C-CAP technology. The shoe also was the first New Balance model to sport 3M Scotchlite reflective trim for nighttime running safety. Five years later in 1993, the 998 appeared. Considered a classic, 998 introduced patented Abzorb cushioning and displayed the now-familiar reflective “N” on the sides of the upper. In 2008, New Balance launched the 993 to replace the mildly-received 992. The 993 employs three cushioning platforms – Abzorb SBS and Abzorb DTS in the midsole, with an Abzorb insole – and is anchored by an N-Durance outsole for long-wearing traction.
These latest iterations are priced as follows: the 996 from $55 for small sizes to $110 for Men’s sizes, while the 998 runs from $65 to $120, and the 993’s start at $101 and redline at $185. Check out our exclusive interview with New Balance’s Luis Navarro, Lifestyle Product Manager at the brand for more details on the company. Continue reading for more images of the “Made In The USA” collection.
11-Jan-2010
Posted by : Yale Schalk
A New Balance basketball classic, the 790 returns this month with two iconic colorways: James Worthy White/Purple and Boston Celtics-themed White/Green. New Balance follows up these initial colorways with a White/Blue and a White/Navy colorway, both set for March.
The New Balance 790 holds a unique, if overlooked, place in sneakerdom. Bidding for its own slice of the mid-‘80s basketball market pie chart, New Balance signed L.A. Lakers forward James Worthy to a $1 million contract as the Lakers were making a run at the 1985 NBA title. That season, Worthy wore the New Balance 785, the shoe many still consider his quintessential ride. The 790 was the follow-up, replete with purple and gold color accents and high-top height. Though Worthy would eventually move on to adidas and Nike, his Lakers-inspired New Balances made a brief but bold impression on the sneaker landscape. Now, New Balance brings back the 790 for fans and shoeheads alike to get reacquainted with Golden Era history. Retail for all Men’s 790 colorways is $80. Continue reading for more images of James Worthy in the New Balance 790 along with photos of all 4 colorways.
11-Jan-2010
Posted by : Yale Schalk
New Balance does Old School? With perhaps a little better-late-than-never thinking, New Balance has put its own twist on the classic vulcanized shoe blueprint. While lagging many decades behind Converse’s Chuck Taylor All-Star and PF Flyers’ Center Hi, the New Balance V74 model features a modern running/lifestyle-focused upper atop a classically minimalist midsole/outsole combination. The V74 releases in February with two colorways – Black/Grey canvas and Navy/Silver canvas – and is followed in March with Grey/Black canvas and White/Silver canvas colorways. Retail starts at $30 for small sizes and tops out at $55 for Men’s sizes. Check out a recent Counter Kicks exclusive interview with Luis Navarro, Lifestyle Product Manager at New Balance, for more info on the Boston-based brand. Continue reading for more images of the New Balance V74.
04-Jan-2010
Posted by : John Brilliant
New Balance.com is currently featuring the exclusive interview Counter Kicks did last month with Luis Navarro, Lifestyle Product Manager at New Balance. Be sure to check out the in-depth interview discussing the origins of New Balance’s 574 shoe and a conversation about the Lifestyle side of things at the Boston-based footwear company. Read the complete interview here, conducted by Yale Schalk, Senior Editor at Counter Kicks.
