There was a time when sneakers knew their place. They then began creeping into the stray area, before immediately taking possession mule market. And now, New Balance has gone and paired their daddy runners with moccasins – or should we call them snowCassins? No, we’re not quite sure how we got here either. But considering that the Boston sportswear giant helped start the sneaker-loafer craze last year with the viral 1906L, it’s probably worth taking note.
The New Balance 1890A was first spotted during Paris Fashion Week in January, and reactions were split right down the middle. Some sneakerheads weren’t entirely sure what they were looking at. Others wanted a pair immediately. This is usually a good sign.
While most brands prefer to introduce new silhouettes in relatively safe color combinations before going more adventurous later on, NB has gone in the completely opposite direction. For its first iteration, the 1890A comes in light green-yellow leather with a faux snakeskin finish. Its Very Loud and arguably one of the most rowdy New Balances we’ve seen in years.
Look closer and things get even stranger. For starters, there’s no giant “N” logo printed on the sidewall. Instead, a smaller version is carefully embroidered on the vamp. The upper borrows heavily from your classic Wallaby-esque moccasin, complete with stitched detailing and a traditional four-eyelet lacing setup that looks like it came straight from your grandfather’s shoe rack. Thankfully, New Balance hasn’t completely lost the plot. Underneath all the madness is a blacked-out absorbent midsole that keeps everything nice and comfortable.
If the model number looks familiar, that’s because the 1890—the running shoe on which these moccasins are based—is one of New Balance’s newest models. Earlier this year, Action Bronson dropped several collaboration pairs, including the extremely popular ‘Planet Frog.’ Since then, the silhouette has also grown Collaboration From the likes of Joe Freshgoods and Stone Island.
New Balance 1890A ‘Morel’ set to launch on July 1st new Balance and select stockists globally for $190.
This story was originally published on British GQ.
