New Balance’s IYKYK Dad Shoe Is Quietly More Powerful Than Ever
The New Balance 860, a recently revived model first released in 2011, has all the characteristics of a classic dad shoe. In the words of New Balance’s viral advert from 2019, it is “worn by supermodels in London and dads in Ohio.”
A retired running shoe with a mesh-heavy base and sporty shape, New Balance 860v2 season has been promising to arrive for over a year. Lauded collaborations with Aimé Leon Dore and hyper-exclusive colorways helped to bring attention to the shoe, however, they have been few and far between.
Now, finally, a wide selection of noteworthy 860v2s promise to arrive. On the same day (October 10), two big-name collaborations featuring the model in vastly different makeovers were announced.
First, there is the Australian retailer UP THERE, a previous creator of excellent NB collaborations.
A mix of purple, greens, pink, and brown, the upcoming 860v2 sneaker with UP THERE is a real bold proposition — colorful almost feels like an understatement. However, the same can’t be said for the upcoming New Balance x Comme des Garçons HOMME 860v2.
First unveiled in January at Paris Fashion Week, these sneakers are classic Comme des Garçons HOMME: minimal, monochrome, and subtly co-branded. They fit in perfectly with previous CDG sneaker releases.
On the same day as UP THERE was announcing its upcoming New Balance 860v2, it was revealed this vastly contrasting CDG collaboration is releasing next week alongside Junya Watanabe’s viral loafer collaboration. And it doesn’t stop there, a day previous New Balance officially announced the return of another archival dad shoe model, the 740.
Joining its already extensive stable of elderly shoe models (including the whole 990 series, 2002r, 1906, 1000…) New Balance is bringing niche old-school running shoes back on the market.
New Balance’s dad shoe selection has never been stronger.
