Before It's Even Released, New Balance’s Miu Miu-Coded Sneaker Is Everywhere
The New Balance 204L is yet to be released. However, you wouldn’t know it based on the regularity with which the shoe keeps popping up.
It started in late April, when grainy images of a light-brown, suede New Balance 204L quietly began doing the rounds on sneaker blogs. And from there, it’s rapidly spiraled.
More images of the shoe have leaked, revealing its Miu Miu-coded flat-soled design. And now, at Paris Fashion Week, it’s making a multi-pronged introduction.
Southern California streetwear label Basketcase leans into greyscale tones and material depth, layering plush pony hair under smooth nubuck, lacing it all up with woven eyelets, and adding a premium leather lining. It’s not flashy, but it definitely feels… expensive.
Basketcase designer Daniel Chew has history with NB. After first collaborating on the New Balance 1906AD last June followed by the “barefoot” Minimus MT20, this is the first time he’s gotten to build from the ground up. And it shows.
His design process sounds more like making a sculpture than sneakers. “What started at 10 concepts developed into six fully unique samples of this model before landing here,” Chew tells Highsnobiety. “I ultimately wanted to pick a shoe that I felt would age gracefully.”
Then, almost immediately after the Basketcase reveal, AURALEE pulled up with its own take on the same silhouette.
The Japanese label, which is on a continued hot streak of heavy-hitting New Balance collabs, just gave the 204L a tonal, textural treatment.
The sneaker’s effortlessly clean with crisp materials and calm confidence, which is classic Auralee.
With two collaborations under its belt, the 204L is proving how versatile it can be before it even hits shop shelves.
It slots seamlessly into daily life, whether you’re styling up or keeping it lowkey. Something that Chew is quick to point out: “As much as it is nice to have a shoe that makes a statement, my preference on footwear is to be able to wear something without having to think too much about it.”
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