CONCEPTS Celebrates Frieda Rapoport, The “Kiwi Queen,” With The New Balance 992 “Low Hanging Fruit”

Michael Le November 8, 2021

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Thanks in part to New Balance, CONCEPTS is able to tell more obscure stories, ones whose heroes are often unsung. Their latest collaborative offering, the 992 “Low Hanging Fruit,” is a continuation of this theme, its colorway a kiwi-infused celebration of Frieda Rapoport.

Commonly known as the “Kiwi Queen,” Rapoport was the first woman in the U.S. to own and operate her own produce company. In the 1960s, she made a name for herself supplying items that were unusual at the time, including brown mushrooms, sunchokes, spaghetti squash, and the like. This evolved to span more exotic fruits like the kiwi, dragon fruit, and habanero pepper, all of which the purveyor paved the way for.

In nod to the late pioneer, CONCEPTS has modeled the New Balance 992 after the kiwi itself. Brown suedes, which arrive with perforated and smooth exteriors, dress the upper in near entirety, mimicking that of the fruit’s fuzzy outside. Its insides are represented far more subtly, inspiring the neon green hits at the “N” logo, laces, and midsole. Finally, the foot bed is given a more vibrant strawberry graphic in reference to its relationship with the Chinese gooseberry.

Enjoy a close-up look at these here. On November 10th, an online raffle will go live at cncpts.com. Two days later on November 12th, pairs will release at CONCEPTS Boston, CONCEPTS NYC, and Bodega LA.