There was a time when sneakers knew their place. Then someone turned them into loafers. Then they became mules. And now, New Balance has gone and turned one into a moccasin – or a snocassin? Yes, that’s a made-up word. No, we’re not entirely sure how we got here either. But considering the Boston sportswear giant was the one that kickstarted the sneaker-loafer craze with the 1906L, it’s probably worth paying attention.
The New Balance 1890A was first spotted in Paris Fashion Week back in January, and reactions were split right down the middle. Half of sneakerheads weren’t entirely sure what they were looking at. The other half immediately wanted a pair. That’s usually a good sign.
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While most brands tend to debut new silhouettes in relatively safe colour combos before getting adventurous later on (like white or black or maybe silver), NB has gone in the complete opposite direction. For its first outing, the 1890A arrives in pale yellow ‘Morel’ leather finished with a faux snakeskin texture. It’s very loud and it’s arguably one of the rowdiest New Balances we’ve seen in years.
Look closer and things get even stranger. There’s no giant “N” logo splashed across the sidewall. Instead, a tiny version is embroidered discreetly across the vamp. The upper borrows heavily from your classic moccasins complete with stitched detailing and a traditional four-eyelet lacing setup that looks like it came straight from your grandad’s shoe rack. Thankfully, New Balance hasn’t completely lost the plot. Underneath all the madness sits a blacked-out Abzorb midsole that keeps everything nice and comfy.
If the number sounds familiar, that’s because the 1890 is already one of New Balance’s hottest new models. Earlier this year, Action Bronson dropped several pairs including the wildly popular ‘Planet Frog’ that disappeared from shelves almost instantly. Since then, it’s also picked up big collabs from the likes of Joe Freshgoods and Stone Island.
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