New Balance 550
The New Balance 550 is a lifestyle sneaker from American brand New Balance.
The New Balance 550 is a lifestyle sneaker from American brand New Balance. Fashioned from a basketball-ready design, the silhouette was reintroduced in 2020 by New York-based brand Aimé Leon Dore led by Teddy Santis.
The New Balance 550 was originally released in 1989 as the "P550" model, the low-top features a simple, yet fashionable construction: a smooth, perforated premium leather upper coupled with a breathable mesh inner lining and a rubber sole unit. As a nod to the vintage character of this pair of sneakers, the Aimé Leon Dore collaboration resulted in off-white leather and slightly yellowed midsoles for an aged look. Supportive accents are green, black, red and gray, in keeping with the two-tone nature of basketball shoes in the 1980s. Despite being a favorite among fashion enthusiasts, the New Balance 550 has not received the same attention, historically, as other offerings from the North American company. Models such as the New Balance 990 (1982) and the New Balance 1500 (1993) overshadowed the model designed for basketball. The lack of a revolutionary and marketable shoe technology also drove the low-top option into obscurity, especially compared to other sneakers on the market at the time.
The New Balance 550 seems poised to keep history from leaving it in the dust, as evidenced by some stand-alone releases and collaborations. European retailer size? introduced its own version of the 32-year-old model in January 2021, a follow-up to the Aimé Leon Dore collaboration. While fans of the pair have shared their preference for a vintage aesthetic on social media, they will likely be treated to more modern general releases and special editions by old and new collaborators.
Find all NB 550 pairs whether collaborations or classic releases at the best prices and in stock from retailers worldwide!
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The New Balance 550 was originally released in 1989 as the "P550" model, the low-top features a simple, yet fashionable construction: a smooth, perforated premium leather upper coupled with a breathable mesh inner lining and a rubber sole unit. As a nod to the vintage character of this pair of sneakers, the Aimé Leon Dore collaboration resulted in off-white leather and slightly yellowed midsoles for an aged look. Supportive accents are green, black, red and gray, in keeping with the two-tone nature of basketball shoes in the 1980s. Despite being a favorite among fashion enthusiasts, the New Balance 550 has not received the same attention, historically, as other offerings from the North American company. Models such as the New Balance 990 (1982) and the New Balance 1500 (1993) overshadowed the model designed for basketball. The lack of a revolutionary and marketable shoe technology also drove the low-top option into obscurity, especially compared to other sneakers on the market at the time.
The New Balance 550 seems poised to keep history from leaving it in the dust, as evidenced by some stand-alone releases and collaborations. European retailer size? introduced its own version of the 32-year-old model in January 2021, a follow-up to the Aimé Leon Dore collaboration. While fans of the pair have shared their preference for a vintage aesthetic on social media, they will likely be treated to more modern general releases and special editions by old and new collaborators.
Find all NB 550 pairs whether collaborations or classic releases at the best prices and in stock from retailers worldwide!
