Cherry Blossom Hues Hit The New Balance WRPD Runner “Licorice”

A bold look for one of NB's newest additions.

Matt Varga May 3rd, 2024 (updated)

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Updated May 3rd, 2024: The New Balance WRPD Runner “Licorice” is available now via NewBalance.com.

WHERE TO BUY

New Balance WRPD Runner

SKU: UWRPDSFA

RETAIL PRICE: $150

RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2024

US 05/01/2024 Wednesday

Retailer	Release type	Status
New Balance US	Standard	Check Site

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The New Balance WRPD Runner first emerged in the middle of 2023 and has continued its steady introduction to begin this year. Combining an oversized, chunky sole with a classic mesh & suede NB upper, the shoe represents the brand embracing a different side of past-decade style. To this point, they’ve chiefly lived gray and black, classic New Balance lane, but recent releases have showcased a new lane for the Warped Runner- a trend that continues with this pair in Licorice and Rosewood.

The pink shades that give this pair its name are pretty all-encompassing, dressing most parts of the sneakers from top to bottom. Employed in a couple adjacent colors, that warmer side of the color wheel hits the mesh, suede backtab and entirely takes over the midsole. Providing an unexpectedly complementary partner is the beige that adorns suede overlays. Finally, the sole divergence from those couple of primary tones is on the twisting, radial design on the outsole, where black does the heavy lifting.

Importantly, this combination of raspberry and tan was first unveiled on a pair of women’s New Balance 327, possibly hinting that the colorway will grace more New Balance models as they roll out their full Spring ’24 slate.

No release date is currently set for the New Balance WRPD Runner “Licorice/Rosewood,” but a drop on NewBalance.com and at retailers in the short-term is likely. Expect the $150 price point the WRPD Runner has commanded in the past.

For more retro-inspired NBs, take a look at the New Balance 550 “Patent Leather” pack.

Written by

Matt Varga, Junior Editor

Matt Varga is an Editor at SneakerNews. Initially earning a degree in Video Arts and Technology, he got his start in the music world, video editing and writing coverage primarily on hip-hop and electronic. A long-standing interest in sneakers eventually led him to switching over to the footwear side of things. An avid collector, his time in the hobby stretches back more than a decade. Though always a contentious argument, his favorite sneaker of all time comes down to the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe” and Air Jordan 5 “Laney,” his first ever pick-up. When he’s not writing, you can find Matt cooking, traveling, attending concerts and when weather permits, on the handball court.