For Fall 2010, premium footwear brand New Balance and renowned sneaker shop Undefeated have joined forces to create the New Balance x UNDFTD Sonic 574, a limited edition fleece sneaker inspired by retro sweatshirts from the 80’s.

James Bond, co-founder of Undefeated, says the “reverse weave fleece that is loved by athletes and spectators alike is the perfect canvas to showcase and celebrate the classic American history of the two brands.” The New Balance x UNDFTD Sonic 574’s upper textile is a heather grey sweatshirt material sonically bonded with the synthetic suede complete with varsity “N” detailing. Undefeated will also be launching coordinating apparel for this project.

The New Balance x Sonic 574 comes in grey and black and will be sold at Undefeated stores starting TODAY. UPDATE: The new release date for these babies is now September 18th so plan accordingly sneakerheads!

Keep on keepin’ on to check out more pics of the shoe:

Directly from New Balance’s running heritage, the 420 is updated for fall 2010 in vibrant suede/nylon colorways.  Originally designed to protect the athlete in the 1970s, the 420 incorporates a three layer outsole and technologically superior patented Extended Saddle. Today, the 420 remains a New Balance classic heritage silhouette providing a low profile sneaker offering for both men and women alike.

The New Balance 420 will be available this August 2010 in five colorways: navy/yellow, yellow/blue, green/yellow, grey/red, and blue.

More pics after the JUMP

For the fall 2010 season, New Balance Lifestyle is reintroducing the popular heritage running 320 silhouette for the first time since the 1970s. Originally released in 1976 for men and in 1978 for women, the 320 was revolutionary for its time and changed the course of New Balance history.

Running for fitness was becoming an increasingly popular trend, and the 1976 Olympics in Montreal got millions of Americans excited about athletics. The 320 catapulted the brand to the forefront of modern athletic shoe design and was the first New Balance silhouette to sport the “N” logo.

In October 1976, the New Balance 320 was rated the #1 running shoe by Runner’s World magazine, citing its highly stable flared heel, forefoot cushioning and width sizing.  The #1 rating from Runner’s World drove sales through the roof and telephone calls and telegrams poured in. Everyone wanted the New Balance 320 and in 1976 the suggested retail price of the 320 was $32.00, laying the groundwork for the New Balance naming system (i.e. model numbers of the shoes were the original prices).

In 1978, NB created a specific women’s last for the 320 and in addition to being named #1 by Runner’s World, the 320 quickly became notable in the industry as the first running shoe that was designed exclusively for women. The creation of separate men’s and women’s lasts allowed for a snugger and more natural fit which allowed for the deconstructed and soft material used in today’s reissues.

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The reissued New Balance 205 will feature a Masai tribal shield in honor of the Kenyan athletes representing New Balance to victory in the 2003 and 2004 Boston, Chicago, and London marathons.

The New Balance 205 will be available at Conveyor at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, CA

More pics after the JUMP

New Balance held their Sonic Collection West Coast Launch party at sneaker boutique Conveyor in Fred Segal in Santa Monica last week.  A special wall was built for the party with a built in theremin, a special antenna-like electronic musical instrument which uses the proximity of a hand to alter the pitch and volume of a pure sine wave.   The theremin added some extra fun and interactive “sonic” component as consumers approached the product shelf.  Aside from the special wall build out and the brand new Sonic Collection for sale, guests enjoyed free appetizers, cocktails, and music from a finely mustachioed DJ which was complemented by the crazy sine waves produced by partygoers dancing by the Sonic wall.  Next time New Balance comes to your neighborhood with an instore party, it should not be missed!

Special wall build out, DJ and cocktail reception will take place at:

Conveyor Fred Segal Santa Monica
500 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA
(310) 393-4477

May 13, 2010

7pm-10pm

RSVP: Cara@RedLightPR.com

Sonic welding is an environmentally friendly alternate to sewing or gluing. The process of heat and pressure application to the seams of pattern pieces fuses the shoe together cutting out waste and crafting the sonic welded shoe to be airtight and watertight. The Sonic 574 and 410 take the iconic classics into a futuristic and modern realm with the new application of sonic welding.  New Balance is the first brand to utilize this sonic technology on athletic footwear.

To see SONIC WELDING in more detail hit the jump for pics.

The New Balance M996 sneaker has been reissued in limited production and will be available exclusively at Fred Segal in Los Angeles.

The classic heritage running sneaker from New Balance features all-over premium pigskin leather and most notably is made here in the U.S. at one of New Balance’s Maine factories.  The 996 was first introduced in 1988 and with an improved midsole, (utilizing the ENCAP® heel with a C-CAP midsole) was the best stability and cushioning combo to date. The 996 also featured the first use of 3M Scotchlight reflective trim for safer night time running by New Balance.

Only 47 pairs of the M996 will be available at Fred Segal (Santa Monica location only) beginning on May 13th.

In addition to the release of these limited addition sneakers at Fred Segal, New Balance is throwing a party to celebrate the West Coast release of the Sonic shoe (more info on that will be coming) at the store on May 13th as well.  Attached is the flyer invitation with RSVP info after the JUMP.

The New Balance x Undefeated Desert Storm 1500 is a collaborative project that brings historical context to footwear and design.  Undefeated has always been a military and sport inspired brand with efforts to not only provide authenticity to projects, but to also inform the public of the often overlooked and understated aspects of design. The inspiration behind the New Balance Desert Storm 1500 is based upon military designs from the Gulf War.  Each pair of New Balance Desert Storm 1500s will be sold with a canvas shoe bag featuring utility camo print and is available exclusively at Undefeated stores in the US and Japan.

Undefeated’s main objective is to have authenticity direct the project, while instilling history into the design. There is much excitement with the New Balance Desert Storm 1500’s as it will be Undefeated’s first collaboration with New Balance US.

Each pair of New Balance Desert Storm 1500s will be sold with a canvas shoe bag featuring utility camo print. The New Balance Desert Storm 1500 will be available beginning on May 15 for $120.00.

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Walk with pride this spring with the New Balance 998/996 sneaker. Made with care in America and designed to put an extra spring in your step these smart looking shoes are sure to inspire the American Dream.

New Balance is proud to introduce the New Balance 998 and 996 men’s sneakers for Spring 2010. Both sneakers were made in the United states and constructed by New Balance’s proud America workforce in Skowhegan, Maine in suede and mesh.

The project was designed to revolutionize the way New Balance connects with the consumer and creates a new method of communication with the brand’s audience. Over the course of eight days, the first 88 (of 365) films were shot in Stockholm and were directed by multi-talented Swedish film director Jesper Koothoofd. New Balance 365 website moves away from the typical transactional model to one where the brand creates fresh daily content and utilities that become a part of people’s everyday lives-thus giving people a reason to interact with the brand daily.

In an effort to extend the creative reach of the project, each film will also be available as an iphone alarm clock application. Through interesting film and sound, the New Balance alarm clock wakes you up with something new and different every day and provides the user with a daily dose of “balance”. The app will also allow users to view their own sleep statistic and how they compare to others around the world.

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