Whether full-fledged collaborating or whipping up exclusive colorways, atmos and New Balance rarely disappoint; the same goes for the duo's latest collab. atmos returns to the Boston-based footwear brand to dish out a seriously good take on the still-popular New Balance 550 sneaker. 

atmos’ New Balance 550 “Back In Black” shoe lives up to its name. It’s the classic 550 silhouette realized with various materials for the upper, including nubuck, leather, and mesh, all realized in black and paying worthy homage to AC/DC all the while. 

Really, if anyone was looking for a New Balance shoe to pair with their New Year's tux, look no further. And isn't that all that any stylish sneakerhead could ask for from a company as classically cool as New Balance?

The shoe's jersey mesh tongue stamped with white New Balance branding pushes the sneaker out of Black Air Force 1 energy into a more fashion-forward sensibility (no shade, there’s a time and a place for all AF1s).

On the sneaker's upper, a traditional “N” logo offers textured white leather, speaking to the 550's basketball background. At the same time, white piping provides tasteful contrast to the otherwise black sneaker, which is releasing in men’s sizing and retailing for a very affordable $140. 

As expected with such a nice shoe, sneakerheads have been clamoring to get in on the raffle to cop the limited edition New Ballance 550 exclusively offered at atmos Tokyo.

The drawing opens on December 16 on atmos Tokyo’s website, while the general launch for the "Back in Black" colorway is slated for December 23. 

atmos knows how to keep its shoe collabs exciting, a welcome breath of fresh air in an industry better known for often playing things a little safe. Anyone in the mood for rat-worthy 2002Rs or New Balances drawn from the future?

The historic Japanese footwear retailer, known for sourcing high-quality materials and love of far-reaching footwear designs, is luckily label-agnostic, having collaborated with Nike, adidas, ASICS, Salomon, and Crocs, to name a few.

After all, atmos got its start selling vintage kicks. Given fashion's collaborative climate, these atmos partnerships were bound to happen. 

Who better to give the New Balance 550 a classic suit and tie treatment? I’ll answer for you: atmos. The brand brought the shoe “back in black,” and it’s looking better than ever. I’ll take two, please.