MADE by NB: NEW BALANCE 2012 Q3

27 July, 2012 02:09pm | Posted in New Balance | No Comments »

Making Excellent Happen. That’s what New Balance stands for. New Balance SEA created an amazing showcase for their 3rd Quarter offerings for 2012. Curated by Yentownkid & Co. and Streething.com, one understands, appreciates and distinguishes the difference between NB pairs made in the US, UK, or Asia.

For Q3, there’s a lot of great pairs coming out of the US. The 998 is back with new color ups (see above), the 990, the 1300, the 996 and other pairs from the 900 series will make its way from their US factories straight to our feet. As the shoes are handcrafted and proudly made in the US, you’ll feel the difference and understand why Made in the USA pairs are so much more expensive than its Asian counterparts.

Moving on over to Asia, NB Japan comes up with so many interesting pairs and more often than not, distinct and uniquely Japanese. Collaborations with specialty stores and brands like atmos, Mita, Beams, Whiz, and the like, NB Japan is at the forefront of style and their influence trickles down to the rest of the world. With the boot and hiking-inspired look all the rage these days, NB resurfaced a lot of their classics, including the H710. If you’ve followed the site before, you know what I’m talking about.

A lot of the pairs you see today are mostly made in Asia, but needless to say, quality and comfort are still at the top and you’ll the 574 in various leathers and materials throughout this quarter.

The 620 made its comeback this year and whether they used retro finishes, Sonic Welding, or new age material, the 620 is one of the sleeker-looking units now available in store.

One nice release this season is the 574 ‘Backpack’ Pack. Using the same material used for backpacks, the 574 comes in various colors, with leather patches and details. With the great material and school being back, this 574 Pack is a must-buy (I’ve seen the black pair available already at NB Concept Store Shangri-La).

Ofcourse some special Asian collaborations were on display. The Limited Edt x NB 577 pairs were made in UK, and the colors of the collection are similar to the colors of the store (if you’ve been to SG, you’ll see how the Maroon, Greys and Blues come to play with the store’s design).

The other major factory for New Balance are the ones found in England. A couple of distinct silhouettes- the 1500, 577, 576 are all made in UK, with the same pristine quality and technique as their American counterparts. You’ll see the upcoming pairs seen below, quality is superb and second to none. It seems like everyone had their eyes on the 1500 (looks a lot like the Crooked Tongues collab from last year, but awesome just the same).

The other NB pairs that are Made in USA were also part of the showcase. The 993 I’m sure you’ve seen on the feet of the late Steve Jobs whenever he does his famous (or infamous) Keynote addresses.

NB SEA ofcourse has their own set of collaborations. From the Feral Creation Pack from 2009 to the Tri-Color from 2010, and last year’s Past, Present, Future Pack, NB SEA has made its mark in sneaker fandom. With so much going on, expect a lot more from New Balance in the coming months as we embark on this journey made by NB.