New Balance 480 White Grey Matter

For some, the New Balance 480 is just like any other lifestyle model from the brand, sporting a low-profile design perfect for Normcore outfits. However, this archival basketball shoe packs a lot of significance in sneaker history, especially if you’re an ‘80s basketball purist. It’s because this perfectly normal silhouette was the shoe of choice of a young Michael Jordan in a Life Magazine photo shoot in 1984. The photo, taken by Jacobus Rentmeester, sees Jordan up in the air, striking a pose with his legs widely spread as he’s about to dunk the ball. This New Balance 480 “White Grey Matter” echoes the ‘80s basketball era with its clean titular hue forming a two-tone combination.

New Balance introduced the NB 480 in 1983 as the brand’s first basketball model. Worn by the likes of NBA legends James Worthy and M.L. Carr, the shoe set the standard for succeeding New Balance trainers, including the NB 550 and 650. This rendition flaunts an all-white leather construction with grey accents encompassing the NB branding, collar, lining, and outsole. While it remains unsure whether this is the exact colourway Jordan wore, its simplistic colour palette impeccably represents the Boston-based sportswear giant’s straightforward designs, making it an ideal everyday beater with a timeless style. The shoe gained prominence and recognition in 2023 following a Joe Freshgoods collaboration featuring a limited-edition New Balance 650. Furthermore, the brand updated the silhouette into a skate shoe with the Numeric 480 variant.

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