A Celebration of Cultural Style, Storytelling, and Identity Beyond the Classroom.
The Whitaker Group and New Balance continue their collaborative storytelling with the debut of Willful Bias For Education, a new footwear collection and campaign spotlighting The Whitaker Group and New Balance Made In USA 990v4, Made In USA 998, and Little Kids 990v4 silhouettes. As part of The Whitaker Group’s evolving Unwritten Curriculum series, the campaign invites audiences to explore the nuanced, lived experiences that shape culture, confidence, and identity beyond the classroom.
Launching on Friday, August 8th, 2025, across JAIDE, A Ma Maniére, Social Status, and APB (online and in-store), the collection brings to life a layered narrative where confidence, personal style, and cultural experiences form an Unwritten Curriculum—the subtle, lived lessons learned through real-world experience. Set against the backdrop of a cinematic short film on a college campus, Willful Bias For Education fuses The Whitaker Group’s distinctive storytelling with New Balance’s renowned craftsmanship, creating a collection that resonates both digitally and in-store.
Mirroring the main storyline, a younger sibling in the The Whitaker Group and New Balance Little Kids 990v4 offers a parallel moment of genuine connection—sharing a flower and a coloring session with a classmate—highlighting how simple, authentic gestures often speak louder than bravado. With kinetic cinematography and tonal references to iconic Black cinema classics such as Dope and Poetic Justice, the film mirrors how confidence, charm, and authenticity shape social dynamics that extend well beyond the classroom.
The Raffle for the collection is open now and closes Monday, August 4th at 3:00 PM EST. Retail and online launch begins on Thursday, August 7th, with early access at the JAIDE Atlanta and Charlotte 12:00 PM local time and 11:00 AM EST online via jaidejaide.com.
The official public launch follows on Friday, August 8th, with online availability at 11:00 AM EST across jaidejaide.com, a-ma-
You can enter the raffles for the collection here.
