The Boston brand NEW BALANCE is on all fronts. It presents us as many qualitative collaborations as interesting internal projects (several articles available on this site). In order to highlight its heritage, the equipment manufacturer offers us a pack « History Class » including 6 versions of the cult silhouette NB 574. It’s available in the German shop OVERKILL.
The NB 574 is the best-selling New Balance sneaker of all time.
Released in 1988, it was the perfect alternative for runners who wanted to buy a performance shoe at a reasonable price. Sam Pearce, the creative design director for footwear at New Balance told The Fresh Press : « The brief for the 574 was to create a model for the budget-conscious consumer – for people who weren’t ready to buy the high-quality Made in the USA 990 line. »
The NB 574 design is inspired by the NB 576, with a careful revision to reduce costs : the upper has been updated, the midsole technology simplified and production moved to Asia. This sneaker combines elements of a running shoe and a trail shoe, and can be described as a junction between a high-performance pair and a lifestyle pair. It has been and still is a great success, from the US to Japan and all over Europe. Its clean look, comfort and affordability have allowed it to survive all trends and remain an iconic pair.
For the « History Class » pack, it comes in 6 colorways, ranging from signature grey to mustard yellow, navy, white and burgundy.
It consists of a mesh upper paired with durable suede overlays, with a leather heel and TPU heel clip. To ensure homage, the tongue tag and heel are adorned with New Balance Classic branding. An ENCAP midsole and rubber lugged outsole provide comfort and traction.
Sam Pearce is still surprised at the success of this silhouette, he explained : « The NB 574 is the first lifestyle model and a truly affordable price point. Without ever advertising, it has become the brand’s most iconic model. It’s funny how that happens ! »
The New Balance 574 « History Class » Pack is available in part from Overkill, in-store and online at overkillshop.com, priced at 90$ per iteration. To date, the classic grey, white and navy blue colorways are already available. The 3 others, more audacious, will arrive very soon.
