Crazy to think that in all 117 years of New Balance’s existence, the footwear company’s British headquarters has never fully designed and built a shoe. Finally, the New Balance 991v2 sneaker sets things straight.
Now 22 years old, the New Balance 991 is one of the all-time NB greats. Its beefy suede upper offers an ample canvas to spotlight the shoe’s sumptuous materials, finding the common ground between the comparably sleek 990 and the gargantuan 992 (Steve Jobs’ preferred sneaker).
Releasing October 27 on New Balance’s website, the 991v2 refines the meaty New Balance, paring back the upper without sacrificing the visual heft that made its forebear so impactful. However, the 991v2 ought to be less impactful, literally, as the 991v1’s ABZORB cushioning is replaced by cutting-edge FuelCell softness.
But that’s really all of the under-the-hood updates, as the only other major facelifts are aesthetic: its tongue now reads “Made in England” to reflect the fact that the shoe was entirely ideated and produced in Flimby and its heel wears a “v2” so you know you’re dealing with part two.
And, to commemorate the history-making 991 sequel made from start to finish in the UK, New Balance showcases the new shoe… in Milan, Italy. Huh?
There’s a method to New Balance’s madness, you see. According to a press release, the New Balance 991 was “a a spontaneous phenomenon” in early-’00s Italy, especially by creative types (think architects, artists, photographers).
What began as a trickle of interest in Milan eventually flooded high-minded cities like Florence and Bologna, as Italians recognized throughlines between the New Balance 991’s premium pig suede upper and fine Italian tailoring. Attendees at the Florentine Pitti Uomo menswear trade show apparently began repping the New Balance 991 in droves (according to New Balance, at least).
As such, an all-Italian cast models New Balance’s 991v2, including chef Massimo Bottura of the three Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana restaurant.
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