New Balance 550: Why Is It Making a Comeback?
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Have you noticed this trend?
The retro sneakers from the brand New Balance are taking over the wardrobes of trendy girls. Emily Ratajkowski, Elsa Hosk, and Hailey Bieber have been spotted wearing the 550 model from the American brand New Balance.
Today, this model is one of the successes of the year in the sportswear sector.
However, nothing indicated that the New Balance 550 would make a remarkable comeback and, moreover, become a trend in its own right within the fashion sphere.
Why has the NB 550 become a reference in the sneaker market? What explains its success?
These are questions we will attempt to answer in this article.
But one thing is for sure, it goes well beyond the sneaker itself.
Discover without further ado why the 550 from New Balance has established itself as a must-have in 2022.
New Balance 550: The grand return of a forgotten sneaker
How did the New Balance 550 manage to make a strong comeback?
To understand this, let’s go back a few years, specifically to 1989, the year the New Balance 550 was born. Designed by Steven Smith, this pair of sneakers did not find much success at the time: a common style, but above all, increased competition showed that the 550 was not technically refined.
The sneaker of the 90s was quickly cast aside.
But this did not deter a visionary duo who saw potential in the 550: Teddy Santis, the designer of the brand Aimé Leon Dore, and Joe Grondin, Brand Senior Manager at New Balance. They began to hunt for the “forgotten” pair on Instagram until they found the Holy Grail with a collector.
In September 2020, a newly revamped version of the 550 was born. Thanks to the NB x ALD collaboration, the 90s sneaker was propelled into the spotlight via a well-crafted marketing campaign that gave it considerable visibility: “International Friendship Through Basketball”.
This was followed by success, and the New Balance 550 range expanded to the delight of sneaker enthusiasts.
Why has the New Balance 550 become so popular?
A completely reimagined sneaker
The style of the new New Balance 550 has been completely revamped. Now the sneaker is more modern and colorful. The designers envisioned it as a comfortable sneaker with vintage accents. The retro lines with a smooth or perforated white leather base evoke the iconic style of the 90s, but the colors add a much-appreciated contemporary touch: aqua green, purple, yellow, orange, sky blue, etc.
A sneaker that inspires heritage
It was on the basketball courts that the journey of the 550 began, and the brand’s intention to position its models as an iconic sneaker in the basketball landscape is very real.
This is why each new pair is designed with the cultural imprint attributed to American sports. A basketball on the tongue of the “UNC” model in reference to the Tar Heels team, collections featuring iconic clubs, partnerships with icons… The actions are numerous.
Collaborations and limited editions
For the year 2022, New Balance decided to capitalize on the 550, as evidenced by the lineup of new, innovative pairs.
New Balance plans to release no less than 24 new pairs. Among them, we find sneakers signed by new collaborations with Aimé Leon Dore “The World’s Borough” featuring the trio 550 in “Brown”, “Olive”, and “Purple”, as well as sneakers with a vintage or minimalist accent. The unique pairs from the “Lackers Pack”, influenced by the iconic Los Angeles club, are sure to delight basketball fans.
Cover image: © Unplash / Icee Dc
💡In another realm, check out our article on Veja sneakers, and how the brand has reinvented the iconic white sneaker.
