Bukayo Saka Makes Liquid Stone Island New Balance Look Ice Cold (EXCLUSIVE)
New Balance and Stone Island are calling their latest collaboration an “off-pitch” affair. This is a necessary distinction since the drop, arriving just in time for the 2026 World Cup, is a two-parter featuring an “on-pitch” portion comprising pro football boots with thermally bonded panels and an engineered jacquard football kit. But it’s still pretty funny, since basically all Stone Island is “off-pitch” Stone Island.
As anyone who’s attended a football match, especially in England or Eastern Europe, will know, Stone Island is the brand of choice for a huge swathe of football fans. Look out at the terraces on matchday, and you’ll see as many Stone Island compass badges — on high-tech jackets, garment-dyed hoodies, and military-minded cargo pants — as you will badges for whatever teams are playing.
But all that high-end sportswear earned its fame amongst football fans by accident. (The legend goes that English football fans stumbled upon Stoney during Italian away days.) This is the first time it’s made an off-pitch range aimed squarely at football fans.
And Highsnobiety got an exclusive first look at what’s in store.
Brazilian wonderkid Endrick and Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka (a big week for him, considering Arsenal’s recent Premier League triumph) model two pieces of old-school warm-up gear: A boxy cotton ripstop track jacket and a fleece sweatshirt in the style of old drill tops. But Stone Island, being Stone Island, had to get its techy fabrication in there somewhere! It arrives in a glossy nylon jacket where a transparent film gives it a look that can only be called “liquid”.
The accompanying sneakers are equally high-tech, especially compared to New Balance and Stoney’s recent run of dad shoes. The new Abzorb 1890 runner wears reflective “teardrop” decorations attached through high-frequency welding. Add that to the list of Stone Island innovations I barely understand.
The idea is that players of Stone Island’s fictional football team would wear this New Balance track set, releasing on June 3, on the way to a game. There, they would change into the striped New Balance x Stone Island football kit, lace up the two brands’ new boots, and perhaps even kick around the co-branded microfibre-lined pro football.
New Balance and Stone Island have everything prepared, now they just need some players. And a stadium. And a manager. But otherwise, all set.
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