A Barefoot New Balance Shoe Is a Stylish Oxymoron
The New Balance x TOKYO DESIGN STUDIO MT10v1 is so stripped back and minimal that it’s hard to decipher the original techy trail shoe it was born from.
An evolution of New Balance's Minimus trail shoe, the MT10v1 keeps to the slim-shaped form of that “barefoot” sneaker model. The super-thin Vibram sole, designed for multi-directional traction, remains intact but the upper of the shoe is something altogether different.
Crafted from suede with no-sew overlays, the shoe’s slip-on body is a subdued creation. The most easily discernible branding is a tiny NB logo that sits on the top of the shoe and its two colorways (one cream, the other all-black) only add to the clean look.
You won’t find any of the MT10’s typical engineered mesh or rugged overlays here. It’s almost like a simple house shoe crossed with a climbing shoe.
TOKYO DESIGN STUDIO (TDS), the experimental design division responsible for creating New Balance dress shoes and uber-techy snow boots, has made this outdoorsy barefoot sneaker explore new territory as a stylish, refined sneaker.
And TDS isn’t the only brand to have attempted such a thing. In the wake of a flat-soled sneaker boom, the New Balance Minimus has found a new, fashionable audience with Japanese designers Junya Watanabe and Issey Miyake giving various Minimus models a stark, monochrome finish.
Plus, American preppy streetwear label Aimé Leon Dore recently made the same MT10v1 model into a colorful watershoe.
However, none of these previous collaborations are quite as sleek as what TDS has cooked up. Releasing on June 5 for $140, these shoes are as minimal as a Minimus can get.
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