Highsnobiety
Double Tap to Zoom

A lot has happened since New Balance and Junya Watanabe first unveiled the 1906L, a hybrid between a formal loafer and New Balance’s old-school 1906 sneaker.

Presented on the runway as part of Junya Watanabe MAN’s Fall/Winter 2024 collection this January, it sparked the rapid normalization of sneaker-loafer hybrids in fashion. And since its debut, we have seen the unconventional model (sans Junya Watanabe branding) swiftly sell out in an all-silver build.

However, while sneaker-loafer purveyors have multiplied and more general-release colorways of the New Balance 1906L have emerged, Junya Watanabe has remained radio-silent about its co-branded sporty loafer that went viral.

On October 18, the wait for the Junya Watanabe MAN x New Balance 1906L will be over (finally!). The sneaker will be released via Junya Watanabe stockists in Japan and via Dover Street Market.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.

Offered in all-black with white Junya Watanabe MAN branding on the tongue, this collaboration detaches itself from other New Balance 1906L renditions through its premium build.

Unlike its techy-built counterparts, the sneaker has a matte leather upper with more glossy leather overlays.

When New Balance and Junya Watanabe previewed this mash-up between a formal shoe and a sneaker at the start of this year, few would have predicted the amount of similar mixed-breed footwear that would follow. 

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.

This year, Edison Chen turned the adidas Superstar into a brogue, classic court sneakers got dapper makeovers, and football boots (also known as soccer cleats) became dress shoes. Some of the most spoken-about sneakers of 2024 aren’t really sneakers at all. 

We Recommend
  • For SS26, Junya Watanabe & New Balance Bulk Up
  • The Most Famous Sneaker-Loafer Evolves, Again
  • If Steve Jobs Wore Sneaker-Loafers, It Would Be These
  • The Junya Watanabe x New Balance Shoe That Doesn't Look Like Junya Watanabe or New Balance
  • In Crisp Black Leather, New Balance's Hybrid Loafer Has Never Been More Formal
What To Read Next
  • This Luxurious Swoosh-Free Jordan Sneaker Is an Ice-Cold Beast
  • Bleached & Faded for Fall, Carhartt Sets a New Standard
  • Once a Mere Hairstyle, the Mullet Is Now a Dress Code
  • Tiffany’s Idea of Sporty? Stainless Steel & Tiffany Blue Dials
  • Two Masters of GORE-TEX Footwear, One Chunky Boat Shoe
  • New Balance's Classic Dad Shoe, Gone Offbeat