New Balance made its presence known in Paris which is often referred to as the “City of Love” recently. The new “MADE in USA” exclusive collection was unveiled this past weekend at a New Balance Paris location. When walking into the store, it’s apparent that this collection is a love letter to the fashionable global destination.
The Le Marais storefront was adorned with bespoke furniture by the renowned multidisciplinary artist Franck Pellegrino. The warm tones of green, brown, and cream were displayed throughout the spacious two-story location. Fabrics from the collection were used as finishes on the furniture which brought the space alive even further. While in the space, consumers can experience an interactive way of shopping by getting T-shirts custom embroidered.
The clothing and sneakers aligned with the interiors reflecting the same tones onto the signature styles on the New Balance 990v6 silhouette which appeared in a chocolatey brown hue and separately, a cream-colored 997. The collection came from an already well-established relationship with Aime Leon Dore founder Teddy Santis who reimagined the 550 shoe that quickly rose to popularity. Watt and her team made a collaborative effort to ensure that this collection was indicative of bridging the gap between sports, fashion, and culture; and what better place to showcase that than Paris.
“Being able to execute against Teddy [Santis’] vision, is knowing how to take a little from this part, take a little from that part, and then create something that’s authentic and rooted in the New Balance ethos: craftsmanship, sportsmanship, and community,” Brooke Watt, New Balance’s global senior director shared with ESSENCE.
Watt explains that earlier this year in January, the brand’s marketing team and the product team in addition to Santis and his team were all together brainstorming. As they created ideas about the newly revealed collection they also thought intentionally about how to incorporate what she calls a beautiful new storefront in Paris which opened last summer. They asked themselves how an imprint could be made by an American brand. But they didn’t want it to come across in a domineering way, said Watt. She adds they wanted to instead pay homage to Parisian culture
The result was building an experience that wasn’t solely focused on products but rather a singular, memorable moment that showcased Paris, the artists that move, and the omnipresent culture of the global city. The exclusive collection pop-up was intentionally brought into fruition by New Balance.
Also included in the collection are two T-shirts that will be going quickly as there are only 100 produced of each. Both tees commemorate Paris with infusions of New Balances design codes with green, red, and cream tones. Accompanying these hues is text that reads “Paris. New York,” the zip code 75004 displayed on the long sleeve top, and the address of the Paris location on both pieces. This standout collection will be remembered as it comes at the helm of the 2024 Olympics for the melting pot of people visiting throughout the major sporting event.
Shop the “MADE in USA” exclusive Paris collection at the New Balance location at 13 Rue De Archives 75000, Paris, France.