The New Balance 550
Although it faded into obscurity almost immediately upon its release, the New Balance 550 made massive waves in the sneaker world in 2020 upon its comeback with Aimé Leon Dore and continues. With a low-top silhouette, smooth leather uppers, breathable mesh lining and a rubber sole, the simple yet clean vintage design is popular mainly due to its easiness to combine with and compliment almost any outfit.
First known as the P550 Basketball Oxford, the New Balance 550 originally dropped in 1989. Unfortunately, due to high competition from brands like Nike and Reebok, the model didn’t really take off at the time.
Over twenty years after it was first released, the New Balance 550 has made a comeback as a result of being rediscovered by Teddy Santis and his brand Aimé Leon Dore. After managing to find a pair from a collector, Santis rebuilt the NB550 from scratch. It is true that the sneaker has kept most of its old aesthetic, but the simplicity of its design and the wide range of colorways have proven to be extremely popular this time around. As a result, the New Balance 550 has become one of the world's greatest sneakers. Moreover, since the relaunch, it has facilitated more designs and creative collaborations, making it more popular than ever before.
Upon release, the New Balance 550 retails for around €120.
In general, the New Balance 550 fits true to size, but if you have wide feet, you might want to size up half a size; smaller sizes may work better for narrow feet.
