Here’s Why the New Balance 1906R Will Become the Next Big Thing

From track to street, Boston footwear powerhouse New Balance undeniably dominated the sneaker game in recent years. Through high-profile partnerships such as Aimé Leon Dore, Joe Freshgoods, KITH, and stunning in-line colourways, the "N" logo instantly became more recognisable to the masses.

If you've kept up to date with New Balance releases, you would have noticed how New Balance transitioned from a footwear brand mocked for its "ugly dad shoe" aesthetic into a streetwear staple many have their eyes on these days. Alongside the now-famous NB 550 model, the 2002R also became a massive hit, with several colourways selling out immediately on drop day and fetching high resale prices on the secondary market.

As New Balance maintains its strong momentum, there is a particular silhouette under the radar of many currently — and it's only a matter of time until it becomes one of the most-hyped sneakers of 2022. We present you the New Balance 1906R.

The New Balance 2002R was one of the models that ignited the flame. In 2020, the shoe company pulled the model from the archives and offered it as a blank canvas for its collaborators. Salehe Bembury, thisisneverthat, and Invincible were the first names to take the pair under their roof.

It didn't take long until we saw other projects tapping into the retro design. The 2002R "Refined Future", famously known as the "Protection Pack", was one of the notable bunch. BAPE, The Basement, Auralee, and many others followed as well as countless GR colourways.

So how exactly does the 1906R come into this? If you weren't aware, the NB 1906 is not exactly a new model.

The 2002 debuted in 2010 and was considered one of New Balance's most luxurious running sneakers. It featured a full-length gel midsole tooling, and funnily enough, the New Balance 1906 did too! Why? That is because the 1906 was the original pair that influenced the 2002 model.

From heel to toe, the shape of the New Balance 1906 and its breathable mesh base continued over to the New Balance 2002.

With "R" added to its title to represent its modern-day appearance, there are a few modifications made. You'll notice that New Balance 1906R now only has the ABZORB gel cushioning unit beneath the heel and not at full-length — just like the 2002R. The design is then complete with New Balance's N-ergy and Stability Web technologies.

In fact, this midsole is taken from the New Balance 860V2, which entered the market the year after the 2002. Of course, expect the 1906R to come with the same lightweight experience and comfortable cushioning underfoot.

History aside, people's obsession with retro shoes became more apparent as time passed, thanks to social media influencers and renowned mood boards like HIDDEN.NY and JJJJound, both of which are known to have strong ties to New Balance.

And with only a few 1906R colourways in the works and most pairs already being collaborations with Korean streetwear brand thisisneverthat and U.K. retailer size?, we do not doubt that this will follow the same market trend as the 2002R sooner or later.

With all that said, we recommend that you stay locked in The Sole Supplier and turn on your notifications to stay on top of the New Balance 1906R release dates. In related news, Discover: how the New Balance 327 achieved instantaneous success.