As if Issey Miyake didn't spoil us enough with some of fashion's great innovations, the Japanese label is now presenting its first-ever New Balance shoe. And this seriously flat sneaker takes the flat footwear craze to new lows (in a very good way).
Even amongst the sheer suits and ombré coordinates of Issey Miyake Spring/Summer 2024, the Issey Miyake New Balance sneakers stood out, and not just because of that big "N" logo on the side.
These shoes are fantastically flat. It only makes sense, as Issey Miyake's first-ever sportswear collab tackles the New Balance MT10 shoe, a famously sleek silhouette from New Balance's 2010-era Minimus running sneaker series.
For those unfamiliar, New Balance's Minimus line is all about getting as close to a barefoot feel as possible from a shoe and the New Balance MT10 sneaker was a particularly compressed design. But it sounds...impossible, right? For Miyake, nothing is impossible.
"Satoshi Kondo found many connections between the concept and the design of the original MT10 and the theme of the SS24 collection," the Issey Miyake design team tells Highsnobiety.
"They both covey this notion of sensuous physicality, and that clothing, as well as footwear, are considered and treated (in the design sense) as integral parts of the human body."
Issey Miyake's New Balance MT10 preserves the Minimus sneaker's semi-squashed shape, taken to the next level by the label's stylish charm. Mix it all together, and we get these close-fitted, lightweight New Balance MT10 sneakers rendered in understated colorways like white, black, and blue-green, complementary to Miyake's lightweight seasonal collection.
Airy mesh, premium leather, and strap-in details mingle on the upper in place of the conventionally technical materials, combining to supply a snug (and also breathable) hug for your foot.
Underfoot, Issey Miyake's New Balance MT10 gets genuinely down to earth. True to the Minimus way, the sneaker incorporates minimal padding in the sole (hey, that's the cost of that grounded feel). But the New Balance shoe packs plenty of grip, nonetheless, thanks to molded Vibram rubber on the bottom.
Finally, Issey Miyake finishes its New Balance MT10 sneakers with bungee-style shoelaces, a fun, no-fuss finish to this already no-brainer shoe.
Remember that the flat New Balance wonder-shoe first appeared in Issey Miyake's spring showcase in September. Right on schedule, the collaborative New Balance MT10 sneakers will make an early near-barefoot debut in Japan on May 15.
Don't fret. The rest of the world can indulge in Issey Miyake's flat-footed New Balances on June 14.
Between Miu Miu's shaved-down steppers and Issey Miyake's no-shoe shoe experience, the message is pretty clear: stay grounded, my friends.
