This Friends & Family New Balance 2002R Is For The Basement, Not Bots

Are sneakerheads starting to feel the effect of collaboration fatigue yet? The hype surrounding the new Nike x Tiffany AF1 suggests otherwise, but it seems that brands are starting to pay more attention to the communities that drive the hype when it comes to picking partners.

One imprint that’s always been ahead of the curve in this instance is New Balance. Having linked up with the London-based community The Basement on a couple of occasions now, the duo is back with their fourth iteration of the NB 2002R - the super-limited friends & family “Dark Slate” colourway, which is sure to be a hit with group members and sneakerheads alike. Dropping exclusively for community members, the “Dark Slate” 2002R champions the impact of the group as global tastemakers. It celebrates the work the group has done to push forward youth culture, music, fashion and art both in London, and across the world.

Arriving in a similar make-up to the partnership’s earlier collaborative efforts, The Basement x New Balance 2002R “Slate Grey” doesn’t appear to stray too far from the path at first glance, but a closer look at the shoe reveals reflective mesh underlays instead of suede, as well as 3M overlays that wrap around the upper - allowing Basement members to run the streets at all hours.

From here, co-branded elements call out to the ongoing partnership. The Basement’s 9-bar logo can be seen tucked behind New Balance’s classic N logo, while the community’s original logo hits the heel. Basement-branded wordmarks also hit the tongue tab, insoles and lace-tips, and a ‘B’ replaces the ‘N’ at the shoe’s throat. Much like the earlier pairs, the style comes finished with black rubber heel and toe caps, and a stealthy black sole unit that comes packed with the model’s usual tech.

The pair is set to drop alongside a small run of the previous colourways on The Basement’s official site on the 5th of February. The launch forms part of the community’s For Basement, Not Bots campaign - which has been designed to help make sure drops land in the hands of their members, and not on resale sites.

Up next, check out New Balance's killer collabs from Men's Fashion Week.