These Aren’t Just Black New Balances, They’re Luxurious Leather Classics
New Balance was on fire in the late ‘80s. The Boston-based brand debuted its signature 576 and chunky-shaped 1500 models across two consecutive years, the two shoes at the center of the brand’s newest luxurious drop.
No longer cutting-edge running shoes but now time-honored classics, New Balance’s UK-based Flimby factory has given both shoes a high-end upgrade.
Dressed entirely in black, textured European leather, the shoes have a luxe construction more typical of a formal dress shoe than an everyday sneaker.
And, since they are part of New Balance’s Made In UK line, the build quality is a level above your typical NB footwear.
Other than a gum sole unit, the only contrasting color on these sneakers comes from the raw-cut leather, exposing the brown raw edges of the material. This is where the shoes get their “biscuit edge leather” nickname from.
Available now from the New Balance UK website (they’re yet to make their way online in America), this drop rounds out a big year for the 1500, which has celebrated its 35th anniversary through a slew of similarly limited-edition and carefully crafted releases.
The 576, on the other hand, had its big birthday last year, but clearly, New Balance couldn’t resist also dressing it up with a high-end leather build. And who can blame them?