NB's Techy Runner Is Looking Mighty Fine
Shoe Palace’s New Balance 2002R is a sneaker collaboration of epic proportions, even if it merely looks like another excellent colorway of an already-excellent shoe.
Not only has the US-based retailer taken a swing at the 2002R, one of New Balance’s techiest (and best-looking) sneaker silhouettes, but it’s also nailed it in two (!!!) sublime volcano-inspired colorways. As if one delicious shoe wasn’t enough!
Shoe Palace's first New Balance 2002R sneaker arrives in a mélange of tonal blues, with complimentary pops of red. The other sneaker is comparatively more subtle but no less impressive, donning a much more obvious earth-like colorway with a mix of brown and beige suede.
New Balance’s 2002 silhouette is now one of the brand's most popular sneakers. But until its grand revival in 2021, it had pretty much been forgotten about by shoe culture at large.
Originally released back in 2010 under NB’s Made in USA line, the functional-looking and running-inspired shoe widely dropped in 2021 by way of some excellent New Balance general releases (most famously the "Protection Pack") and some well-devised collaborations that gave the 2002 its stylish due.
Since then, the 2002R's rise to the cream of the NB footwear crop has been nothing short of beautiful, arguably best realized by the stunning creation that was JJJJound's GORE-TEX 2002R, released earlier this year.
And like many NB silhouettes too, the 2002R has fallen victim to the recent mule trend as of late. Last year, brands like BEAMS and Sneakersnstuff did away with the shoe's heel to release their own slip-on versions of the 2002R, which was followed by some similarly streamlined inline NB sneakers.
Point is, three years and a truck-load of colorways and mules later, and the 2002R is now undoubtedly one of New Balance’s most sought-after sneakers.
And NB's latest two-piece venture alongside Shoe Palace, which officially drops online April 26, certainly won’t be tarnishing that reputation, that’s for sure.
