Patchwork Denim Is a Great Look For New Balance's 580 & 550
Turns out that New Balance doesn’t need Levi’s to make a nice looking denim sneaker, because the sneaker label can do it just as well on its own.
Case in point: the “Boro Pack,” an upcoming sneaker capsule from New Balance’s ever-reliable footwear conveyor belt comprising the 550 and 580 silhouettes.
The collection gets its name from the term “Boro,” a phrase used in Japanese craftsmanship that refers to the tattered materials used to create the product, as opposed to the technique of actually putting them together.
Historically, for me, denim has been a fabric that’s lent itself poorly to sneakers. However, throw New Balance into the equation, a label that, right now, can do no wrong, and you have yourself a workable concoction.
In this case, both the 550 and 580 (which also come with zippers!) are certified bangers. Each upper arrives doused in varying shades of indigo and a multitude of paneling made up of hairy suede, woven canvas, cracked leather, and pre-aged suede, as well as denim.
Sneaker leakers have suggested that the “Boro Pack” will be released across Asia in late November, although nothing has been confirmed by New Balance as of yet. Highsnobiety has reached out for confirmation.
Though nice denim sneakers have, historically, been few and far between, New Balance has been at the centre of most of them.
Back in 2021 the Boston-based label released a 990v3 alongside Levi’s before recently revealing a new '80s-inspired sneaker for FW23 that further showcases the versatility of denim.
Right now, virtually anything New Balance touches of late has turned to gold. Whether that’s another one of its many stellar collaborative releases or a re-release of one of its inline styles, the brand can do no wrong.
And the fact that New Balance has the ability to make great sneakers out of a fabric that, more often than not, makes for a usually bad looking one, only further proves my point.
