Sneaker collaborations happen to be one of the most exciting events a sneakerhead could ever wish for! Just think about it! Different contrasting industries coming together to create the most wicked and out-of-this-world sneakers ever. It also means more limited-run sneakers to cop and much higher resale on the aftermarket. In fact, the New Balance collaborations DOMINATED the market in 2020 and really upped the sneaker collab game! New Balance was the first sneaker brand to take action post COVID19 outbreak – especially with their sneakers turned mask thing! New Balance was the first to recover from the shock of everything that went down in 2019 and take action. They MIGHT even be the reason why the sneaker industry survived – too much? Well, we’ve got the latest addition to the New Balance collaborations that might top all others! This year expects the release of the new BAPE x New Balance collab!Â
Could this be the best of all New Balance collaborations? Well, it certainly might be. But, we’ll let you be the judge of that. And, to do so, you first have to go through a few of the greatest New Balance collaborations! Most of which took place in the year 2020. We weren’t even messing with you when we say New Balance had a good year!
Epic New Balance Collaborations
When we say that New Balance really knew how to take action in 2020, there ain’t one bit of exaggeration. So much of the New Balance collaborations took place in that year, and we got the greatest sneakers out of it. This year also seems promising, with different sneaker brands releasing savage sneakers every day! This year looks like it’s gonna be a good year for sneakerheads! So, let’s take a look at some of our favorite New Balance collaborations to date!Â
Casablanca x New Balance Collaborations
The year 2020 was the first time these two epic brands collided to create an amazing sneaker! The Casablanca x New Balance 327 marked the beginning of a great sneaker relationship. The sneaker dropped in two colorways: Green and Orange! Later on, in the same year, they came up with another iteration of the 327s with a green logo and a black logo. The third of the Casablanca x New Balance collaborations dropped this year! If you didn’t catch it. It was the drop of the 327 and 237 (totally different) sneakers! Casablanca’s signature monogram decorates both silhouettes that share the same colorway. They featured patterns of nylon, bits of mesh, and some suede – also, a very chunky heel! They dropped on February 27 and retailed for $130.
WTAPS x New Balance CollaborationsÂ
The Japanese military-infused streetwear brand, WTAPS, is the OG Japanese streetwear movement. Together alongside New Balance, they gave the classic runners a whole new makeover with a few upgrades. This New Balance collaboration worked on the M992 model of the NB sneakers to create a military sneaker! Did you know that the New Balance 992 was Steve Jobs’ favorite sneaker? A man worth 10 Billion dollars loved the M992 model so much, that he was rarely seen wearing anything else! That’s how you know that the New Balance collaborations win! The olive drab colorway on this M992 melds away into its contrasting white outsoles with the pops of orange. The sneaker has so many details to it, you can cop it off the resale market for an average of $1,000 if you like!
But, keep in mind that this sneaker retailed for $369 when it first dropped in May of 2020… So, you might need to start revving up your best sneaker bot for New Balance collaborations!
Stray Rats x New Balance
The Sewer Stompers! Well, they definitely look the part. The Miami-based graphics-heavy clothing brand, Stray Rats, joined forces with New Balance to design the striking 827 sneakers! The Sewer Stomper featured a muddy brown colorway with vibrant red laces and ooey-gooey green all around. It also had vivid purple splashes to create the ultimate color block ever. In addition, the whole sneaker featured suede material with an olive-colored midsole.Â
This bad boy retailed for exactly $156 – very precise! AimĂ© Leon Dore actually worked on the Abzorb 827 – you can get the sneaker off the resale market for around $250! It’s a very different take on a classic sneaker revamped! A whole new take on New Balance collaborations.
JJJJound x New BalanceÂ
This special edition of the New Balance collaborations is one of our favorites! JJJJound brought its sophisticated palette onto the NB 992 model to give it a whole new persona! The retro runner featured two different colorways: industrial brown and forest green. When it comes to the Canadian designer Justin Saunders, it is all about minimalism – and you can totally see that in the slick minimal design on these 992s. The two-tone suede uppers with patterns of mesh underlays contrast pretty well with the start cream midsole and white outsoles. These sneakers dropped late Summer of the year 2020 for a retail price of $175. But, note that they are currently reselling for an average of around $550. Yup, you read that right. Were you one of the lucky ones who got to cop on retail?
The Newest (And Possibly Best) of the New Balance Collaborations
BAPE x New BalanceÂ
BAPE and New Balance is a sneaker collaboration we never knew we needed. But, we are here for it. We stan it. We WANT it. The new New Balance x BAPE model for the 2002R teaser is out now! The sneaker features different camouflage prints with the awesome BAPE head of course. It also comes in two different colorways: a green variant and a somewhat neutral grey. Also, we can’t forget the coolest thing about this drop: the HEEL! It has the Shark motif with the teeth in a finish reflective material to give it an extra cutting edge! Rumored to drop in April, so that gives us enough time to get ready! We ain’t letting another New Balance sneaker go! They’re a cool and easy way to make fast money!