New Balance's roster of collaborators boasts some titans – not just in a sense of scale or international recognition, but with the level of strength each brings to its co-creations. Sure, not every collaborative release is an instant hit or even considered heat in general, but those that are, knock it way out of the park.
Several of these names are certainly obvious. There's no way any of us can overlook the level of talent and finesse that Teddy Santis has brought into the brand as Creative Director, nor doubt the success of his Aime Leon Dore x New Balance drops before and beyond stepping into the role.
Todd Snyder, WTAPS, Stray Rats, The Basement, SNS – the list goes on. Everyone that NB decides to bring on board for multi-drop collaborations has carved out their own path to great success, leaving a unique stamp behind them. Such is the touch of thisisneverthat and its vintage-styled sneakers.
From the 2002R to the somewhat lesser-known 1906R, thisisneverthat has grabbed NB silhouettes by the horns and given them a treatment that's relic-like, you know, the sort of beaters you'd find thrifting through your favorite vintage shop.
Custom-aged sneakers are all the rage right now, so much so that many leading brands have jumped on the bandwagon – we've seen it with Nike's Dunk Lows, and it's become a staple of link-ups between NB and thisisneverthat.
Earlier this year, a dark-colored 1906R featuring a washed-out yellow sole and worn details appeared from the playbook of the collaborative duo, and it certainly left its mark. Now, an additional two sample colorways of the sneaker have appeared online, highlighting the strength of these palettes on the silhouette.
Appearing in classic black and "Milky White/Sport Red" renders, the 1906R looks at its best. There are no two ways about it; these two pairs are incredible. We can only hope that both samples touch down on the market sometime soon.
