This New Balance “Dunk” Comes Straight From the Pre-Internet Skate Era
Bronze56K is taking the New Balance 480 back to the era it came from. However, this time around, it’s a different kind of sneaker.
Born in 1983 as a basketball shoe, the New Balance 480 has recently made a resurgence as a skate shoe under the wing of New Balance's skate-focused Numeric line. And Bronze56K’s version of the sneaker is designed as a tribute to the late 20th-century era of skating.
The New Balance 480, which has been dubbed as New Balance’s answer to the Nike Dunk, is remixed with black pebbled leather overlays layered above an iridescent leather base. You can see the DNA of late '80s and early '90s skate footwear in the chunky paneling and puffed-up tongue.
Bronze56K is a NYC-based skate crew turned brand, founded by Peter Sidlauskas and Pat Murray, that has built a cult following off raw edits, tongue-in-cheek graphics, and a firm grip on East Coast skate grit.
This latest sneaker collaboration from the label is available from May 19 for $119.99 on the New Balance website.
It marks the latest release from New Balance Numeric, arriving hot on the heels of its debut Andrew Reynolds signature model, where the legendary skater turned a pair of dad shoes into skate shoes.
Not to forget that New Balance Numeric is also backing pros like Tiago Lemos, working with core shops like Psychic Village, and linking up with independent skate labels like Chocolate. New Balance’s skateboarding line keeps getting stronger.
