Mild wasabi is not a common term, but it's really the only way to describe Auralee's New Balance 204L dad shoe. It's simultaneously smoking hot yet totally cool. Quite the delicious contradiction.

In collaboration with Tokyo-based fashion brand AURALEE, New Balance is releasing a "White Lime" version of the 204L, one of NB's greatest slim sneakers to date.

In addition to the wasabi-tinted colorway, the collection also includes a dark brown make as well

See, New Balance knows a lot about beefy dad shoes. But trimmed-down stunners? That's still new territory.

Retro in nature, New Balance's 204L sneaker draws heavy inspiration from elderly runners of the past, like the narrow form of the archived 321, and the layered paneling of the reissued 740 sneaker.

NB's 204L is a throwback moment and a modern muse all at once, and the slim silhouette has quickly become the hallmark of New Balance's slim shoe era. It's no secret that Ozempic has been hitting the footwear streets, and even the father of all dad shoes isn't immune to the mass slimming down going on right now. 

As such, New Balance has quickly turned the 204L into the ultimate poster child for skinny-dad sneakers. First released in July 2025, on the heels of NB's Miu Miu mania, the 204L exists as the perfect transition sneaker. It has the chic disposition of Miu Miu's 530 SL sneaker without the $1,200 price tag as the AURALEE New Balance 204L is available online for $165. 

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