Following months of speculation, New Balance’s highly-anticipated WRPD Runner has finally been given an official release date.
The chunky New Balance silhouette — which was first revealed by way of an AURALEE collaboration during Paris Fashion Week — is set to land online August 18, retailing at $140.
Initially landing in a fresh “Sea Salt” colorway, the WRPD Runner pushes the boundaries of what a traditional New Balance lifestyle silhouette embodies (modern takes on heritage designs), with an innovative and futuristic aesthetic that distorts and warps the familiar.
Unlike classic New Balance silhouettes, branding is sparse on the WRPD Runner. With most NBs you’ll find embroidery on the heel, tongue, and even the toebox. However in the WRPD Runner's case there’s little more than a meshy “N” on the outer side of the sneaker.
The WRPD Runner is both contemporary and futuristic in equal measure. It blends the non-traditional lines that are sculpted and exaggerated to give it a modern look and feel.
New Balance’s WRPD Runner is the latest addition to the sneaker label’s ever-growing arsenal of silhouettes, although arguably its most futuristic in terms of its design and build.
A new era for New Balance footwear? Perhaps. The first of many WRPD Runners in the very near future? Most definitely.
