Just got back from a little R&R on Monday and must say I’m well rested but very disappointed in the shoe culture of Portland Oregon. I know I was in the heart of Nike country but I figured I would something I couldn’t live without. It was even worse I couldn’t even find a decent pair of NB classics anywhere. I stopped by the famed Compound which was a nice store with crazy shoes but not a NB in the joint. Disappointed to say the least.
Kicks-n-jams just previewed the Spring 09 classics collection. Great colors and style choices. Make sure you check them out and all the details. Here are just a few of the pictures that I snagged, I have to go with the silver ones all the way.
This post is brought to you by the letters NB and the number 574. In 2006 NB “finalized a four-year multi-million dollar agreement with Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization, to become a program sponsor of the Emmy-winning children series, Sesame Street.” Check out the press release here.
Nb will release a series of kids classics featuring some Sesame Street favorites. These little classics are on the timeless 574 frame and range in sizes from an infant 2 all the way to a kids 7. The smaller sizes will start at about $40 with the larger sizes pricing out at $60. I expect these babies to be a hit, definitely can’t miss. NB Concept stores should have them in the middle of this week, followed by a national release of July 1st.
Elmo has a smooth leather upper. The Cookie Monster has a Velvet Nubuck upper. Oscar the Grouch is sporting a suede upper. Enjoy!
Check out these little kicks! Kicks-n-Jams posted these great picks a bit ago, but if you haven’t seen them here they are. These little statuettes are modeled after the timeless 576, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. They picked up some sweet styles can any of you sneaker heads identify them all? No release date as of yet.
Staple Design has been collaborating with NB on a New Balance 575 “Pigeon”. These kicks will release in the same colorway as the 2005 Nike Dunk SB “Pigeon”. This 575 will have a special tag on the toungue of the shoe and some pigeon ”drops” on the insert. Looks like the sneaker is scheduled to drop later this year. pic and info via highsnobiety.
UPDATE: NiceKicks reports that these babies are not going to be made. Hope they are wrong or NB still drops the colorway.
The A09Wt was featuredin the March-April 2008 edition of Hoop in their “Hoop Gear.” The A09wt is a release from NB Japan and features a one piece upper with the “N” painted-on instead of stiched. The A09 has also been released in black. The white A09 featured on this page has a full grain leather upper. The black version (Ao9bk pictured below) has a Hemp upper. For those of you that it matters to, that makes the A09bk about as vegan as it gets in a NB classic. Best place to buy online, Zappos.com, for $115.00 with free shipping both ways.
Pic via NB
Check out Will Ferrell sporting a pair of M574MGYB’s in this February 23 issue of USA Weekend. The Article discusses the actors new film, Semi-Pro, and his family life. I know the guy is funny and I love his comedy but I had no idea that he had such great taste in shoes.
I just got Sneaker Freaker’s newsletter and I saw these babies, among the “New Releases.” I am all about the 580’s, and I must have these. More importantly I wanted to give NBKicks a little self love, we previewed these kicks on the 24th of January. Check out the original post titled appropriately “You Saw it Here First”. As an update: all three colors in this line release on the first, and they should be available in tier 1 stores.
I was recently talking to a friend about NB classics (of course) and he asked how many pairs of NB’s I actually own. Well, in response, I have taken a couple pictures of my collection of New Balance. It is not as insane as it could be, as a rule a toss of pair of my old running shoes when I get new ones. This is most of them. I would like to add a pair or two of Crooked Tongues, a Japan only release, a pair of the Super Team Luggage Collection and I have yet to get my hands on a pair of 320’s.
The list: RX240RC, SD350NV, M574AE, M574ILL, M574JPG, M574VGY, M576LONV, M578GYS, M579BOL, H710KR, M801SGR, M992GL, M1350TO, M1400STN, M1400STG, M1400SR1, M1400FZ3, M1500GGF.
Sneaker Freaker has a great interview with Provider owner Chris Worsley about the store and this sick new 1500 collab. Clean and crisp with a nice use of colors and premium leathers. Check out this piece of the interview.
So tell us about your NB 1500 you have right there. The colours are fresh and the shoe is grouse! Why New Balance and why the 1500?
We have had a really long relationship with NB Australia and their product is amazing, and for that reason it was easy. It’s something I think every store buyer/owner wants to do at some point – take a shoe you love and put your twist on it. After a development trip to Hong Kong and some discussions with some of the staff there, we were able to get the project up and going, and a year later the shoe will come out. The 1500 is a classic, none better. The concept of the shoe is based around the phrase ‘breakin’ necks’, which is unique to sneaker heads. There are so many things you can do these days with this kind of product – tagging, printed boxes, numbering – but it’s not always needed. I just wanted to keep the idea simple.
Make sure you check out the shoes and the rest of the interview. It’s a shame I wont be seeing these in the states.
