NEW BALANCE 327: A STYLISH RETRO DESIGN
NEW BALANCE 327 FOR MEN & WOMEN: DESIGN AND INSPIRATION
Established in 1906 by William J. Riley, a shoemaker from Boston, New Balance aimed to help people with foot problems by developing orthopedic insoles. The brand gained international recognition in the 1960s when it entered the running shoe market, with models like the New Balance 990 and 992 becoming popular over the decades for their quality and comfort.
In 2020, the manufacturer collaborated with Manchester-based British designer Charlotte Lee, who had been working with the brand since 2014. Drawing inspiration from New Balance's archives and 1970s models like the 320 and Super Comp, Lee incorporated several details into the 327, such as the asymmetric midsole, V-shaped toe-box, and studded outsole.
NEW BALANCE 327 CASABLANCA: A SURPRISING HIT
For the model's launch, New Balance partnered with Parisian label Casablanca, presenting the silhouette during the Fall/Winter 2020 Paris Fashion Week. Casablanca, a luxury brand founded by Charaf Tajer, reimagined the New Balance 327 with a retro-chic aesthetic featuring Tennis Club-inspired elements. The meticulous detailing on the Green and Orange iterations showcased a Mediterranean-inspired design, beloved by the French-Moroccan designer. The collaboration continued with the Black, White, Red, and Holly Green versions of the New Balance 327, as well as new models like the 237 and XC-72.
NEW BALANCE 327: THE BRAND'S REVIVAL
The New Balance 327 is the first model explicitly designed to implement New Balance's new strategy of reintroducing an archival model in collaboration with another brand, designer, or label. The New Balance 550, a 1989 basketball shoe designed by Steven Smith, initially failed to compete against models like the Air Jordan 4. It wasn't until 2020, with the help of Teddy Santis, creator of the high-end streetwear store Aime Leon Dore, that the retro sneaker gained widespread popularity among men and women. The highly sought-after New Balance 2002R, an archival model from 2010, was relaunched with the 2020 collaborations Peace Be The Journey and Water Be The Guide by Salehe Bembury. In the following year, the Boston-based brand collaborated with Chinese footwear designer Yue Wu to create the Refined Future collection, also known as the Protection Pack.