The New Balance 550 was once designed in 1989 but has returned in recent years with help from Teddy Santis. The new version of the sneaker retains almost the entire design of the past but can now be seen in different colorways, including the New Balance 550 'Reverse Panda'.

The sneaker owes its name to the panda bear, but where the panda is white with black accents, this sneaker is mainly black with white accents. For example, the 550 gets a number of white overlays, white logos on the heel, tongue and quarter. Finally, the midsole is white to offer a strong contrast with the rest of the design.