Brand: One Block Down x New Balance
Model: 991 and 1500
Release Date: December 16
Price: €170 (1500) and €190 (911)
Buy: Online and in-store at One Block Down
Editor’s Notes: One Block Down celebrates its two stores — one in Milan and one in Rome — with subtle reinterpretations of two of New Balance’s most iconic silhouettes. An all-grey 991 represents the retailer’s store in Milan, while the Steven Smith-designed 1500 — which enjoyed its heyday in the mid-’00s in Europe — represents the store in Rome. Both sneakers have been left largely untouched, only featuring subtle stitching of the names of the respective cities at the toe (on the Rome pair) and on the heel (on the Milan pair).
New Balance’s British and American legacy is a commonly-told story, however, the brand’s popularity in Italy flies under the radar, unfairly one might add. In Milan, the “bourgeoisie” adopted the 991, while the 1500 quickly became a favorite of Roman football ultras.
To commemorate the release, One Block Down has commissioned the creation of two incense chambers, co-branded with New Balance, that take the form of two of Italy’s most famous tourist attractions: Milan’s Duomo and Rome’s Colosseum. These were given out to friends and family of the brand.
This drop is available exclusively at One Block Down on December 16 for the aforementioned retail prices.
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