The Evolution of the New Balance 990: Fashion's Favourite Sneaker

Ever since its inception back in 1982, the New Balance 990 has been a sneaker that’s been adored by footwear fans. While it was birthed as a running shoe, the silhouette quickly transcended into being a fashion staple, and more recently has been popularised by the high-fashion scene and influencers. It’s been used as the blank canvas for countless collaborative projects and continues to have a profound impact on the sneaker world, however that’s not to say that the model hasn’t undergone changes along the way.

Originally starting out life as a retro-themed and bulky silhouette, the 990 now takes on a sleeker and more refined look, while still retaining original design characteristics. Last year Teddy Santis of Aimé Leon Dore fame took the reins of New Balance’s Made in USA line, and since then the designer has revisited plenty of old-school variants of the 990, opening them up to a brand-new generation of sneakerheads. Join us as we take a look back at some of the most iconic variants.

First up is none other than the New Balance 990v1, and it can be seen here in all its glory via this fresh collaboration with Carhartt WIP. The two brands joined forces to inject workwear flair into the heritage silhouette, covering it in hairy suede and decking it out in a navy-blue hue. Premium features include dual-branding at the tongues and heels, New Balance’s signature N logo and athletic mesh sections for increased comfort. Offering a bulkier aesthetic than other 990 variants, if you’re looking for a retro-styled pair of kicks then these are a more than suitable option.

After the hugely-successful launch of the NB990v1, it took the Boston-based brand 16 years to follow up the impressive design, eventually launching the new and improved 990v2 in 1998. Widely-regarded as a spectacular follow up, the v2 kept all the familiar design traits that sneakerheads loved about the v1, instead offering improved technologies and a slightly sleeker design to keep up with the times. Now revisited as part of the Made in USA line, the kicks are pictured here in a pleasant red colourway, topped off with an off-white midsole unit that’s packed full of responsive cushioning.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original 990, New Balance launched the 990v3 in 2012. Offering the sleekest and most utilitarian design the series had seen yet, the silhouette adopted its most modern look yet. Large mesh panels sat between the suede sections and an ENCAP midsole unit was now present. NB collectors across the world widely regard the 990v3 as one of the greatest renditions to date, and thankfully Teddy Santis has revisited the pair for his current MIUS offerings, such as this easy-to-wear burgundy rendition.