A couple of days ago, Concepts' Deon Point posted a photo of Concepts' New Balance 998 "C-Note" sneaker as the collaborative shoe turns 10 in 2023. One Instagram account commented, "it's time for a retro!" Translation: it's time to bring these babies back.
Point's response? "Might just be."
Well, sneakerheads, get ready to rejoice. As of September 29, Concepts and New Balance confirmed that the New Balance 998 collab is returning for its 10th anniversary.
Concepts and New Balance's reintroduced 998 sneakers see the pairs return in that familiar moolah-inspired colorway: off-white with hints of bright blue, brown, and khaki green.
Concepts relish bold New Balance collabs for the most part. Aside from those stealthy Trailbuster Re-Engineer shoes, the Boston brand has previously issued tropical 992s and 57/40 collab in a bold home-run-worthy scheme.
Fans may remember that Concepts's original 2013 New Balance 998 shoes got their design from the $100 bill, which got a bold makeover in the same year, complete with colorful shading and a bright blue strip.
While the originals borrowed some design inspo from the bill, the collaborative 998 also echoed "the ubiquity of cash even in today's increasingly digital payment-based world," according to a press statement.
It's worth pointing out that "c-note" is slang for the $100 bill. But in the case of Concepts and New Balance's shoe, it works out perfectly. C-note? C for Concepts? No? Okay.
Concepts' 2023 New Balance 998 shoe preserves the original build of suede and mesh paneling for the upper, all atop an ABZORB sole (Fun fact: the 998 was the first New Balance shoe to introduce the cushioning tech to the world).
There are a few noticeable changes, though (nothing too crazy), including the fresh Concepts branding marking its spot on the suede vamp. Plus, there's some co-branding on the 998's tongue and insole.
You'll still catch the classic New Balance logos in its original places joined by the overall classic "C-Note" 998 glory elsewhere.
Set to release on October 5, fans can catch the Concepts x New Balance 998 "C-Note Only" on New Balance and Concepts' websites as well as in Concepts' physical stores.
As for pricing, well, the 2023 pairs will cost you a couple of real c-notes. FYI: They're $220.
