At the heart of sneaker trends, New Balance establishes itself as the vintage and retro brand and seems to conquer sneaker addicts. Primarily dedicated to running shoes since 1906, it has pushed itself to step out of its comfort zone and now designs lifestyle pairs produced in limited quantities. Thus, the success of the New Balance 550 and the New Balance 2002R from the superb Protection Pack allows it to make a stunning comeback, positioning it as a leader in the sneaker market.
Innovative and preserving its technology, it does not hesitate to collaborate with young designers such as Aimé Léon Dore and Joe Freshgoods, which allows it to brilliantly renew itself with unexpected and unprecedented silhouettes.
After a first collaboration with Joe Freshgoods in 2021, the Boston brand signs another partnership with the Chicago designer and plans new must-cop silhouettes for 2022.
Find below the first compositions from the designer allied with New Balance planned for 2022, which are likely to make a lot of noise!
Joe Freshgoods, a funky inspiration from Chicago
Designer and artistic director from the west coast of Chicago, Joe Freshgoods has a unique approach to sneaker and streetwear culture. A true artist, he superbly translates the funky side of his Chicago neighborhood through his work and has emerged in sneaker culture over the past few years.
Indeed, Joe Freshgoods first teamed up with the brand Converse in 2020 and created two stunning iconic silhouettes, the Joe Freshgoods x Converse Pro Leather High and the Joe Freshgoods x Chuck Taylor 70 Hi. This unprecedented partnership allows him to expand his talent and capabilities as he also creates a capsule collection, which perfectly matches his two models and generates significant hype around him. Released in limited edition, the collection perfectly exploits the brand's potential and broadens the designer's visibility.
Building on this success, New Balance did not hesitate to lend its New Balance 990V3 in 2021, so that this true talent could offer a new, unprecedented, and avant-garde composition. Inspired by the 90s and his personal life, the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 990V3 “Outside Clothes” features elegant color blocking that showcases it perfectly and ensures great success for this ambitious and promising partnership.
Photo Credits: @joefreshgoods (Instagram)
“Conversation Amongst Us”: New Balance's new creative director unveils his campaign
This year, the West Coast designer is back with the American equipment manufacturer, as he has been named creative director of his new campaign “Conversations Amongst Us”. Teased on his social media, this new campaign aims to “tell a story of the Black experience, focusing on crucial dialogues that connect the community while inspiring the next generation of Black creatives,” the designer explained.
According to him, “This project is a bit different for me. It’s not just a collection of clothing and shoes. It’s a timestamp and a deep dive into the importance of communication and community. I wanted to approach this from a different angle than how brands celebrate and highlight Black people. Conversations Amongst Us is not marketing text, it’s simply the truth.”
Invested in his new campaign, he unveils the first silhouette of this project: the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 2002R “Conversation Amongst Us”. Striking and adorned with impeccable finishing, this New Balance 2002R showcases a superb base in leather and suede in off-white tones. Accompanied by a special black and yellow box, this model seems to be crafted with perfect finishing and is sure to please the community with its design and strong message.
Photo Credits: @newbalancelifestyle (Instagram)
In a second step, he takes ownership of New Balance's flagship silhouette, which seems perfect for expressing his ideals. Thus, the Chicago native unveils a Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 550 “Conversations Amongst Us” dressed in a sober colorway quite different from the traditional New Balance we are used to seeing. Indeed, it consists of a cream canvas upper with stunning cream suede overlays. Retro and trendy, it still features traditional elements found notably on the elegant New Balance 550 “White Green” with the additional branding, “Conversation Amongst Us.”
Photo Credits: @joefreshgoods (Instagram)
If the Conversation Amongst Us campaign already showcases two silhouettes considered must-haves, it is expected to gain greater importance with the release of several models, short films, and clothing centered around it throughout this year. What is certain is that Joe Freshgoods and New Balance do not intend to stop there and are likely to surprise us once again.
Photo Credits: @newbalancelifestyle (Instagram)