The New Balance 550 is a shoe with a history that dates back to 1989, but if it wasn’t for Teddy Santis, the silhouette might still be in the archives of the Boston-based shoe brand. Now, thanks to Santis and his brand Aimé Leon Dore, the New Balance 550 has a new look.
Unsurprisingly, there’s been a lot of anticipation around the drop of New Balance and Aimé Leon Dore’s latest collaboration. As soon as Teddy Santis was named the new creative director of New Balance’s MADE in USA division, any partnership between ALD and NB was set up to succeed with a new level of understanding and communication between the two brands.
The result? A trio of new colourways of the 550, which has been one of the most celebrated retro-revival silhouettes of the last few years. With options in chocolate brown, deep purple, or dark olive, it’s a muted, yet compelling statement in the selection of hues.
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Aside from the exclusive tonal highlights, the silhouette has been kept much the same, speaking to the strength of the Steven Smith-designed aesthetic. As you might expect to see from the standard release New Balance 550 colourways, the shoes feature full-grain leather overlays, mesh underlays and a rubber outsole.
In fact, the only other differences can be found in the custom Aimé Leon Dore branded tongue, co-branded insert and an aged-look New Balance “N” logo. While the only elements of colour are the chocolate brown, deep purple, or dark olive highlights, the shoes also offer a contrasting difference between the white leather overlays and the creamy, vintage-looking midsole.
An official launch date remains to be set, but we can confirm that they will be available from the Aimé Leon Dore site with an RRP of $200.
