New Balance is back at it with another unconventional hybridized shoe. The next great New Balance sneaker-loafer, supposedly called the 1890, looks even wilder than its predecessor, blending a Clarks Wallabee-style moc-toe upper with the techy tooling of NB's 1906R sneaker.

Oh yeah, and it includes snakeskin. There’s a lot to unpack here.

The New Balance shoe's upper borrows heavily from classic dress shoes, featuring an open lacing system typical of a moccasin. But then New Balance throws in snakeskin-printed panels that quickly detract from any notion of formality. 

That contrast between classic refinement and irreverent design makes the New Balance 1890 sneaker-loafer genuinely intriguing.

Underfoot, you’ll spot what looks like a slightly tweaked 1906 sneaker sole unit, complete with ABZORB cushioning and that familiar segmented outsole.

On the insole, there’s a cryptic “1890” stamp.

A nod to something deeper in NB’s archive? Maybe. The brand isn’t saying anything yet as the shoes were only briefly teased by New Balance executive Lee Stuart on Instagram.

But if this is New Balance’s idea of a dress shoe for 2025, we’re not complaining.

Last year, it gained virality by popularizing the sneaker-loafer; this year, it has an even wilder hybrid shoe in the works. 

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