New Balance may not be as deeply-rooted in the world of skateboarding as some other brands, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t know its way around designing a great-looking skate sneaker. Because it does. Very much so.
New Balance’s latest impressive skate sneaker is designed alongside Jaden Smith's MSFTSrep, the multi-faceted brand and creative collective launched by the actor-cum-musician back in 2015.
Titled the New Balance MSFTSrep 0.01, a silhouette initially and quietly launched late last year, the new-look chunky sneaker is a healthy dose of New Balance tradition in terms of its low-key NB branding and the versatile, neutral-tonged colorways, but upgraded with Smith’s unorthodox aesthetic as demonstrated by the uniquely-structured midsole.
The serrated design is similar to that of the Vision Racer that dropped in 2020 and was also co-signed by Smith.
Expect Smith's latest signature New Balance sneaker to launch (and immediately sell out) when it releases on MSFTSrep's website by mid-April.
Although New Balance’s main area of expertise lies elsewhere when it comes to footwear design, its recent slew of super strong skate sneakers is simply too good to ignore.
New Balance Numeric’s robust 480 silhouette, for instance, has all the attributes of a bonafide skate sneaker with its sturdy midsole and puffy tongue, but the visual and design language of a great-looking everyday shoe.
New Balance is already having one hell of a year both in terms of mainline and collaborative drops, and it almost assuredly still has plenty more all-star sneakers lined up to roll out throughout the rest of 2024.
But while New Balance’s lifestyle, running, and other more athletic endeavours will continue to grab the headlines through 2024, the Boston brand’s skateboarding ventures will humbly continue to impress in the background, with its impressively versatile and Jaden Smith-approved MSFTSrep 0.01 shoe just the latest example.
