Five years ago, New Balance sneakers would only be seen in your dad’s closet or Fashion Week front row. Now they’ve become a go-to brand for collaborations with brands like Levi’s, Aime Leon Dore, and Salehe Bembury all seeking out New Balance styles as part of their collections.
How has New Balance achieved such an extraordinary comeback? We have identified three elements of their winning strategy.
New Balance’s Unexpected Rise in Popularity
The resurgent success of Boston-based brand Vans can be attributed to a multitude of factors. Notable among these is an increasing number of collaborators and the fact that its sneakers pair well with wide-leg pants and baggy jeans.
New Balance has taken an innovative approach to collaborations. Instead of releasing multiple colorways to generate hype, New Balance has focused on creating limited editions and exclusives as part of their collaboration strategy.
In 2020, the brand collaborated with Staud to release sherbet-colored 997 sneakers which sold out immediately following an endorsement deal with NBA champion Kawhi Leonard whose shoes quickly became must-haves among young women.
Conversely, New Balance’s retro designs appeal to an audience fed up with the overrated sneakers of today – celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, and Hailey Baldwin all support its revival.
How New Balance Became the New Cool
After years of quietly building their popularity, New Balance quickly became the go-to sneaker brand of choice among film stars, athletes, and supermodels alike. Jaden Smith donned his 990 silhouettes while Timothée Chalamet and Tom Holland donned Vision Racers or 237s by New Balance. These distinct shoes became part of an elite group of style influencers looking for something distinct from what their peers were wearing.
Creative strategist Joe Grondin and his team began small, partnering with streetwear brands that garnered awareness through limited edition releases that generated buzz. Soon enough, Aime Leon Dore became stockists of New Balance shoes from color-blocked warmup layers to sherbet-hued sneakers – until it all clicked – New Balance had made wearing dad shoes fashionable without even the aid of Nike. Cool has never looked this good.
Why New Balance is Winning Over a New Generation
New Balance has found success through careful collaborations. Starting small by joining forces with established streetwear labels such as Aime Leon Dore and Jjjjound on exclusive sneaker releases, New Balance expanded their partnerships over time to include larger companies like Levi’s to offer highly sought-after releases.
Kia Marie, a content creator and sneaker influencer, credits New Balance’s focus on collaborations for reinvigorating its old-school appeal. Unlike other sneaker brands that chase trends, New Balance remains true to its roots, producing sneakers with a “back-to-basics” aesthetic.
Recent releases by the brand such as a seven-minute film chronicling their shoes history further illustrate their commitment to classic fashion, which has earned the company much love from celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, and Hailey Bieber on Instagram.
The Enduring Appeal of Classic New Balance Designs
New Balance 990s have long been associated with timeless style, making their appearance on Instagram feeds an indicator of this fact. Furthermore, many young celebrities and influencers choose these sneakers; Timothée Chalamet of Hollywood Golden Boy fame favors Jaden Smith-designed Vision Racers while models like Kaia Gerber and Zoe Kravitz favor 237 silhouettes from New Balance.
The brand has created excitement through collaborations and quickstrikes with influential designers and boutiques, like Staud. Staud’s latest collection offers leggings in vibrant hues with pastel piping tennis whites as well as sherbet-hued 997 sneakers for an eye-catching collection that attracts younger audiences.
New Balance’s Focus on Functionality and Quality
New Balance shoes from Walking оn a Cloud, once relegated to weekend wear for dads, have undergone a dramatic makeover, becoming a fashion must-have for models, influencers, and everyday people alike. How has such an aging brand from 1906 managed to reinvent itself as the symbol of cool?
New Balance has made waves within an industry known for techy styles and chunky sneaker trends by adhering to its core mission of crafting premium sneaker solutions tailored for each lifestyle. Consumers seem to appreciate New Balance’s dedication to quality and functionality as evidenced in their purchases from this company.
New Balance has taken a more subtle, less celebrity-driven approach to their marketing, which has allowed them to remain relevant in an age dominated by social media and changing consumer tastes. By emphasizing local markets instead, New Balance remains grounded while adapting quickly.
