New Balance Made a Skate Shoe That's Secretly a Work of Art
New Balance Numeric, the popular skate-focused sublabel of American sportswear company New Balance, is launching a collaboration with Tokyo-based label Challenger. And it is challenging to become the cleanest New Balance skate shoe around.
The 440v2 is one of Numeric’s most versatile silhouettes, with an appearance closer to classic court shoes than a modern skateboarding design. Challenger takes that base and strips it into a crisp, all-white palette.
Haiy suede, smooth leather, and tonal stitching keep the upper looking fresh, while subtle pops of Challenger’s branding hide in the details. And as you'll see from the sole unit, this shoe is all about the details.
Flipped over, the bottom of this shoe reveals an icy outsole with a skeletal footprint on beneath. Then, take a look inside, and the shoe reveals a bold graphic insole print filled with Americana references.
This is a shoe that’s understated up top, but with a story to tell once you look inside. The clean skate shoe facade is hiding artwork in this Challenger collaboration.
Beaneath the hood, the 440v2 shoe keeps its full skatewear spec intact: reinforced ollie zones, a C-CAP midsole for impact control, and grippy NDurance rubber in the outsole.
This collaboration drops exclusively at Challenger’s flagship and online store. If you’re in Tokyo or quick enough online, August 15 is your shot.
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