Words by Axel Metz
New Balance kicks are once again cropping up on the feet of film stars, athletes and supermodels alike – so how has it re-emerged as the coolest shoe brand on the block?
Fashion is a fickle business. I’m minded to think of Piers Morgan’s favourite motto when it comes to the impermanent nature of style trends: “one day you’re the cock of the walk, the next you’re the feather duster.” And it’s true. Remember those colourful Topman Henley t-shirts? Ten years ago, they proudly adorned the underdeveloped chests of every teenage boy in the country. If you got caught wearing one today, though, expect to get laughed out of the room quicker than the time it took to manufacture the thing.
And so the same is true of shoes. Of course, trends can swing the other way, too, and recent years have seen New Balance re-emerge as the king of casual trainers. But how did the Boston-based label manage to turn the tide after decades spent in the shadow of the Nike/Adidas duopoly? The answer, it turns out, is two-fold.
The age of the internet is also the age of the internet celebrity, and New Balance has found itself the shoe brand of choice for film stars, athletes and supermodels of late. Not just any film stars, athletes and supermodels, either, but the biggest, hype-inducing names on the street right now. Hollywood golden boy Timothée Chalamet regularly opts for the Jaden Smith-designed Vision Racers, Tom Holland the 237s and Zoë Kravitz’s the 990 silhouettes. Kaia Gerber and Rihanna, too, count amongst the brand’s most loyal fans. Hell, even Leonardo DiCaprio was spotted rocking a pair of 547s earlier this year.
The point being, influencer power is real. If the likes of Chalamet and Holland – whose every public outfits are photographed and analysed – go for New Balance kicks over any other, they do so for a reason. And that reason is therefore good enough for everyone else, too.
It’s all-the-more satisfying knowing that these trainers aren’t bank-breaking, either. The 574s, for example – the very same pair worn by Mr. DiCaprio himself – retail for £70. To bag yourself some semblance of Leonardo DiCaprio for the price of a good night out can only be described as value for money.
The second reason New Balance has re-ascended the steps of popular style is the brand’s varied – and lengthy – list of collaborators. Levi’s, Aimé Leon Dore, Aries and Stone Island all count among names which have (or will have) partnered with the shoe-maker on sought-after collections in recent times, with these products now hidden away on virtual depop shelves or exclusive stock trackers. Even Casablanca, a favourite of ours here at The Urban Journal, boasts a downright beautiful New Balance collection.
So, ultimately, New Balance became cool again in exactly the ways you’d imagine – by enlisting the help of triple-A celebrities and recruiting a long list of established and emerging brands to promote its sneaker-shaped vision. Except, that isn’t quite true. Instead, those celebrities and brands came to New Balance – not the other way around. DiCaprio followed Holland who followed Chalamet who followed Jaden, and so on. Aimé Leon Dore wanted what Levi’s were getting who got what Casablanca already had. You follow? That’s fashion. One domino falls, and the rest aren’t far behind.
Next thing we know, Dave will be spotted in one of those awful Topman tees and history will repeat itself all over again.
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