Not Your Dad’s Old New Balances: A Brief History of the NB1000
Via: Rootsbk.net
‘On a scale of a 1000, this shoe is a 990.’ When released the first of their series in 1982, their witty yet self-aware ad copy hinted towards the 990 being near perfect. But what if New Balance were to actually deliver the 1000 they hinted at? In 1999, they did just that – launching the , a low-key shoe geared towards runners, though it never quite achieved the same level of success. Now 26 years later, the 1000 is set to return for another run.
While the concept of jogging may have found its feet in the 1970s (thanks, ), we’d argue that running sneakers still took a while to hit their peak. Brands made strides in the 80s, and the was an example of this, as was development of the franchise, but it was the 90s that really saw the running market boom. Often characterised by chunky builds, loud colourways and meshy make-ups, the 90s running shoe is admittedly a bit of a stereotype. Take a peek at the New Balance 1000 and you’ll understand exactly what we mean.
New Balance’s 90s runners are renowned for having a certain dad-shoe quality, but the New Balance 1000 is a bit edgier. Featuring a wavy, panelled upper, the 1000 is less akin to the 990 and more reminiscent of youth-centric models like the or 97 – just check out that lacing system. As far as dad shoes go, it ’s for dads whose midlife crisis made them buy a Subaru Impreza over a sleek drop-top Porsche. Build-wise, the chunky, panelled design is quintessentially Y2K, yet it manages to offer something a little different to NB’s current stable of retro runners like the and , which both feature meshy uppers and a sportier look and feel.
Despite its name, the New Balance 1000 doesn’t exactly sit with the wider 1000 series, which already included the 80s-born and the -designed . The 1500 remains a flagship MADE in UK model, and the 1300 was, at the time, one of New Balance’s most expensive, premium running shoes, but the 1000 never quite had the same nuance. Little is actually known about the sneaker’s development – it seemed to exist with little fanfare, and its difference in construction (read: lack of premium suede) suggests that the model was a member of the 1000 family by name alone. Early marketing materials see the model presented in a 1999 New Balance running commercial, while catalogue imagery indicates that it was a stability-focused shoe geared towards overpronated runners. As was common for New Balance at the time, it also came in a number of widths, making it super practical. Other than that, the only traces of the shoe exist via a handful of archive stores online. Nevertheless, it caught the eye of New Balance’s MADE in USA Creative Director , who marked up the model as another long-forgotten NB style to revive.
Santis has a knack for spotting gold within the New Balance archive. In October 2020, he identified NB’s answer to Nike’s and revived the , a basketball silhouette that was retired just a few years after its birth in the late 80s, through a collaboration with his label. Soon after, he gave the 860 a new lease of life, also under Aimé Leon Dore. During his tenure at New Balance, Santis has also brought the 990v1 and v2 back into the fold, including both of the heritage styles in his early collections. With a proven track record of knowing what consumers want before they even know it exists, the New Balance 1000’s comeback is more than likely in safe hands.
However – just to be certain – the New Balance 1000’s return is set to be far more celebrated than its original launch. Santis himself shared a first glance at a shiny silver iteration of the shoe that plays perfectly into the retro runner trend, and it’s also since become clear that a premium MADE in USA version is on the cards too, this time with soft suede uppers. Following the formula of their latest product launches, New Balance have also appeared to line up a strong selection of collaborators: an ALD colab was spotted in the label’s latest look book and long-term partner recently teased his upcoming colab colourways over on , including a Killa Cam’ron-inspired pink pair. All signs also point to New Balance pushing the model on the GR side of things too, as another leaked colourway sees the shoe take on a pastel colour palette in line with a recent 1906R release. As far as the technical specs are concerned, the newly revived 1000 isn’t exactly up to today’s running shoe standards, but it does come equipped with ABZORB cushioning and Dual-density C-Cap midsoles, so it’s plenty comfortable for everyday wear.
The silhouette is on April 24. Stay locked to Sneaker Freaker for all the info as it comes in.