Sports Car for Your Feet: Casablanca x New Balance XC-72 Races In August

Silk shirt specialists, and Euro chic providores, Casablanca are primed to release their next collaboration with New Balance, which will now total 10 different colourways in the space of 18 months. While having previously helped debut the 327 and 237 models, Casablanca and NB will together launch the XC-72, an evolved sneaker specimen that the brands are describing as a ‘sports car for your feet’.

There are certainly many parallels between the new XC-72 and the 327. For one, the overall design sees the reprisal of oversized panel elements and exaggerated proportions throughout. Starting up top, the perforated leather and suede build popularised by the Casablanca colabs returns, with one colourway reprising the white, orange and green combo – while the yellow and red mix is a sporty new addition. Said to be inspired by the luxury sports cars dotting the winding roads of Casablanca’s native Morocco, the theme is continued underfoot. This certainly appears to be the case, as the oversized knobbly traction outsole returns, wrapping around the forefoot. However, this is only the case for the medial side, as on the lateral side opposite is a more toothy tread shape, evoking thoughts of rugged off-roaders – not that these sneakers are likely to ever see dirt.

Casablanca will release this New Balance XC-72 collaboration first on August 27, followed by a wider international release at selected retailers the next day.