FERRARI HAS RED, Valentino has pink, and Cadbury has purple, but in the footwear space, few brands can claim to own a signature colour like New Balance can with grey. Back in the ‘80s, New Balance first incorporated the shade into its footwear and apparel designs, bringing grey into its range of performance running shoes. More than a simple colouring choice, grey was selected because of its understated qualities, which kept the focus squarely on the shoe’s function, rather than aesthetics.
Soon after, New Balance’s grey sneakers became a coveted item among long distance road runners – with their tone the perfect complement to the concrete they pounded. Fast forward to today and ‘New Balance Grey’ has earned a cult following after being adopted by the streetwear community – its 990s, in particular, have practically owned the demographic in recent years.
To celebrate its defining colour, New Balance hosts ‘Grey Day’ every year, marking the release of new styles and apparel, which come in variations of the tone. Throwback icons from yesteryear are also paid tribute to and often given a refresh. But this year, New Balance went one step further, releasing a short film written collaboratively between creative directors Thom Glover and Daniel Wolfe. The film revisits different eras of New Balance’s iconic grey sneakers, from the running track through to the streets of today.
“This film celebrates not only what Grey means to us as a brand, but also what it means to New Balance consumers. It recognises sub-cultural New Balance fans who have stood by our brand and the emblem of Grey for generations,” said Chris Davis, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Merchandising at New Balance, in a statement.
Throughout the month of May, New Balance will be hosting drops of new product on its ‘Grey Shop’ online, including the launch of special-edition ‘Grey Days’ WRPD Runner and 1906R.
Check out the film below.
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