New Balance's 1906R seemingly popped out of nowhere. I mean, we were just getting comfortably acquainted with the 2002R, which was snatching the top spots of lists as sneaker of the year byways of the "Protection Pack" while indulging the sweet treats of Teddy Santi's ongoing tenure as creative lead on the Made in USA line, when the 1906R flew off the canvas to steal the spotlight.
As quickly as it came with its initial sprinkling of releases, it was catapulted to near-instant stardom through a carefully curated selection of collaborations that seemingly began in South East Asian markets with atmos and thisisnever that.
Once the seeds had been sewn on international waters, the 1906R would make its way across all corners of the earth with a rich picking of colorways that did wonders to demonstrate the enormous potential of the silhouette. As they say, since then, the rest is history.
Although New Balance continues to shine a spotlight on the 2002R, with the 99x series forever remaining a staple of the brand's forward offering, the 1906R looks to make a continued impact through the season and well into the latter stages of the year.
As a cultural pioneer of the UK's sneaker space, it makes perfect sense that New Balance would tap into the expertise and celebrates tastes of size? to help bring its vision for the 1906R to life.
Beginning in the late stages of 2022, size? has worked tirelessly to stage the rise of the 1906R across the UK and Europe, loading up several colorways that have gone on to become seasonal staples, while paving the way for a two-piece offering of exclusive pairs.
With the first already locked, loaded, and out in the wild, size? Brand Director Luke Matthews affords us a closer insight into the 1906R's rise and rise.
How successful has the 1906R been since hitting stores?
Very, in a word. The 1906R continued to carry the momentum garnered by the 2002R by utilizing that look of the 00s. Since its launch, you can start to see how both models sit alongside each other now, with the 1906R favoring the more sporty meshes and the 2002R going down the suedes and nubucks, giving a nice point of difference for each.
How has this compared to flagships such as the 99x series?
The additions of both the 1906R and 2002R give a really nice architecture to the overall range. The Made In 99x series will always be the pinnacle franchise within the portfolio but this gives an additional dimension and unapologetic look of the New Balance brand at a lower price point.
This first drop is considerably bolder than the more muted styles we've seen on the 1906R so far; was this a conscious effort to set the exclusive apart?
For sure. One question we will always ask ourselves is, "if you’ve already got one in your collection, what would make you want to add another one?" We feel with this execution, it does give you something different.
Do you see the 1906R remaining a core part of the New Balance offering going forward?
I do. The look of the 00s from a running perspective only seems to be getting bigger and more relevant, and this, for us, is one of the key shoes within that space.
Whereas many of the 1906R palettes that we've been privy to thus far have opted for muted arrangements of beige, off-white, white, black, or greyscale blocking that feels natural to New Balance, size?, true to itself, has gone left of field with its two-piece selection.
Releasing in two installments, the first of the two, which, coincidentally, is the brightest look that we've seen touch the silhouette so far, has already hit European online and physical storefronts.
The first colorway looks perfected for the impending start to the Spring/Summer season, taking on a minty aesthetic that's sure to snap necks all summer.
From front to back, a brightly saturated mint green coloring lends itself to each of the main components of the sneaker, while touches of black fill the overlays to provide a heavy contrast.
While the first is a statement wear through and through, the second colorway takes on an aesthetic that looks straight out of a late 90s or early 2000s sneaker catalog due to the five-tone blocking applied throughout.
For the underlays, a mid-blue takes center stage while grey, white, and navy deck out the other central portions of the sneaker. Setting off the look to give it a contrast as eye-catching as its predecessor are rich orange tones that fill the detail elements.
While the first pair is available to shop now, you'll need to wait until later in the spring to catch the second.
