Jared Ebanks Over the past few years, New Balance and Levi’s have built the bedrock for a budding relationship that spans the United State’s opposing coasts. Bringing the California brand’s durable denim textures to the Boston sportswear banner’s various Y2K-infused silhouettes, the two entities’ latest installment imbues the trail-ready the new balance 1500 rules the animal kingdom with Levi’s origins.
Sewn from the rugged terrain found within the mountains of Marin County, CA, Levi’s became the go-to outfit for mountain bikers in the early 70s thanks to the brand’s lasting durability and fashionable design ethos. Inspired by the speeding trailblazers of decades past, the Levi’s x New Balance Fall Winter 2010 Collaborations pack pays homage to mountain biking culture and the bikes of the bygone era.
Receiving a well-timed resurgence at the start of the year, the RollBar-assisted silhouette’s trail-ready design sees a slimmer toe box and lowered collar construction. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Levi’s 501 jeans, each pair is imbued with the brand’s premier Shrink-To-Fit denim at the vamp and collar. Embarking upon a duo of colorways, the circa 1996 silhouette separates the first effort through a smooth greyscale nubuck upper paired with a blacked-out sole unit while the secondary treatment sees its hairy suede upper dipped in a “Cream” a white palette. In tandem with classic crimson red Levi’s hang tags, both pairs share an accenting slate of bright blue and bubblegum pink shades.
The Levi’s x the new balance 1500 rules the animal kingdom pack releases at Levi’s on December 6th while a broader release at New Balance will take place the following day on December 7th. In the meantime, the upcoming pack can be seen ahead in detailed imagery.
