New Balance “Reimagines” The 550 As Vintage Shoes

Sneaker News December 29, 2023

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Despite Jordan Brand’s efforts to define “Reimagined” as updated reinterpretations of its classics, the sneaker community can only accept that new terminology in one way. Championed by the Air Jordan 1 “Lost And Found” and 2023’s Air Jordan 3 “White Cement”, the process of infusing a vintage, aged aesthetic has become tied to the buzzword to the point where it’s being appointed across all brands.

New Balance certainly isn’t shy by about doing the same to its own 1980s-era basketball classic. The New Balance 550, at one point the most wanted retro-aesthetic low-top sneaker, is being presented in that same pre-loved fashion, complete with dirtied soles, worn leathers, and the like. NB is actually taking it even further by chipping away at the paint on the slanted-N, further establishing the design direction of the now-ubiquitious model.

Currently, three colorways are treated with that “Reimagined” vision – white/red, white/grey, and white/brown. New Balance’s online store as well as partnering retailers will be stocking these soon for $130 a-piece.

In other NB news, check out the spy shots and first official looks of Bam Bam Baklava’s next collaborative release – the New Balance 1906R “Rosewater”.