Stray Rats & New Balance Made the 991 Less Elderly
Brand: Stray Rats x New Balance
Model: 991
Release Date: December 17
Price: $250
Buy: New Balance's website, select stockists
Editor's Notes: It's pretty rare for a collaborative pairing to really hit the nail on the head every time, but there are a few exceptions. One such exception is New Balance and Stray Rats, a true wine and cheese pairing.
New Balance has had many creative partners over the years, and 2021 has been particularly stacked for the heritage-running brand. So far these years NB has collaborated with WTAPS, Extra Butter, Paperboy, The Basement, Run The Boroughs, and that's barely scratching the surface.
Stray Rats has remained a frequent collaborator over the years, providing some of the most coveted colorways within New Balance's extensive release archive. Most notably, the pair teamed up on the 990v3 for a slick black and green update, while less familiar options such as the 827 and 574 have also found themselves in the spotlight.
Regardless of the model, these two sure know how to create something special. From the latest tease, Stray Rats will be sticking to what it knows best – the 990x series, namely, the 991, an old man staple — not that there's anything wrong with that! Comfy, chunky shoes for life.
It looks like this collaboration will be a two-piece, one mixing bold hits of purple, green, and white, while the alternative options have a black, white, and pink finish. Each is inspired by vintage mecha toys, so that explains the bright colors.
Both of Stray Rats' latest New Balances boast classic fabrications like premium suede to make copping a pair of these a new brainer — if you can get your hands on one.
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