New Balance's Techy Dad Shoe Gets a Tastefully Hairy Transformation
The New Balance 509 sneaker, the brand's running-inspired model from the early 2000s, quietly returned to the market last year. For 2025, the dad shoe is coming in quite literally red-hot (and fuzzy).
Let's just cut to the chase: New Balance is dropping all-new 509 sneakers featuring hairy suede uppers plus its traditional breezy mesh.
The latest New Balances seems to be another collaboration with designer Dohee Kim, also the founder of XLIM, a Seoul-based brand specializing in stylish techwear in satisfying quiet colorways. The techy New Balance 509 is the perfect canvas for Kim, basically.
In 2024, Kim helped reintroduce the model, delivering a super clean spin on the sneakers using ice dyeing techniques. The results were a delicious "Plum Brown" colorway with glossy overlays.
Now, it looks like Kim is on to the textural New Balance treat. The designer recently revealed the new suede version of the New Balance 509 sneaker, dressed in a bold "Crimson" red colorway and aged detailing.
The sneaker is also expected to come in a black color scheme, carrying the same distressed suede uppers and other vintage-style treatments. It's unknown if New Balance's 509 will see a global release, but my fingers are already crossed for the NB diehards.
Beyond its timeless dadcore shoes, New Balance aims to cover all grounds, from the skate parks (Dunk-ish shoes included) to the trails. The brand is also on the runways, debuting fresh collaborations with Junya Watanabe MAN and AURALEE for the fall season.
However, the sneaker label knows home is where the dad shoes are, keeping fans fed with classics like the chunky and now hairy 509.
