In an era when hype is driven by influencers, likes, and market-data, Massachusetts’ New Balance has managed to increase their cultural cache simply by keeping things the same and avoiding the idea of a trend.
The 990 is perhaps the best example of the unique position New Balance occupies in today’s market. In the past year, high-profile collaborations with Japan’s Engineered Garments, BEAMS, Junya Watnabe MAN, and United Arrows have brought greater visibility to the shoe. A “Water/Wi-Fi” edition of the shoe from Tremaine Emory’s No Vacancy Inn label and a JJJJound edition have crafted ultra-limited versions that fetch high resell prices. And soon, in what is sure to be a highly-coveted release, two editions with Aime Leon Dore are set to drop.
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A recent campaign declared that the 990 is “Worn by Supermodels in London and Dads in Ohio.” The ad is no-frills, just like the shoe itself.
Where It All Began
The story of the shoe begins in 1982, when it was released as one of the most expensive shoes to ever hit the shelves. It boasted that it was the most technologically-advanced shoe of its time, a result of three years of research and development.
Years later, the streets in Baltimore and Washington D.C. adopted the model. According to New Balance’s product manager Eric Vassal, the geographical nature of the area brought attention to the shoe. Batimore’s richer neighborhoods on one side of the bridge would have older white men working as doctors and lawyers wearing the shoe. On the other side of the bridge, Vassal says the wearer of the shoe, “ain’t your doctor/lawyer; it’s that dude that is running his hustle.” The cultural currency of the shoe was its price tag and the confidence to wear a shoe that seemed like it was not meant for street kids. Eventually Philly caught on, and then New York City. Over time, the now-ubiquitous New Balance “N” became a mainstay on the feet of city dwellers everywhere.
The Evolution of the 990
The evolution of the model saw a 16 year gap between the V1 and the V2. The second iteration brought advanced tooling and drastically altered the silhouette closer to the version we know today. The Aime Leon Dore V2 is a welcome collaboration, as that model has not seen as many hyped releases. The ALD version dresses the upper in grey, purple, and green premium pigskin with bright yellow accents on the collar and toe.
1990 saw the release of the V3, which added breathable mesh to the upper on the upper but left most of the rest of the shoe in tact. The v4 arrived in 2016, retooling its predecessor mainly in the midsole tech, keeping the ENCAP cushioning but cutting weight and adding flexibility with its updates. DTLR and Stussy had well-received collaborative editions of the V4.
Today, the 990 is up to its 5th version, adding subtle upgrades like an Ortholite insole and a molded plastic piece on the upper. But to look at any tonal grey 990 is to see a shoe that has 37 years of history and has achieved a time-honored goal of staying true to its roots.
