Jaden Smith and New Balance Create the First-Ever Surplus Material 574
Smith takes a break from his Vision Racer to rework a classic New Balance silhouette.
Jaden Smith first stepped into the world of collaborative footwear with the debut of his New Balance Vision Racer in July 2020, but now the multi-hyphenate creative and New Balance are beginning a new chapter in their partnership with a fresh take on the 574. Dubbed the “Jaden 574,” Smith and NB’s latest shoe is their first non-Vision Racer footwear collaboration, but stays true to the sustainable ethos they’ve established with a surplus material construction.
Much like the Vision Racer “Surplus,” no two pairs of the “Jaden 574” are exactly the same. Each uses a bricolage-style assemblage of colorful mesh and suede pieces, making for a pinned-together look with imperfectly-sized mudguards, heel counters, overlays cut foam collars and more. In short, each “Jaden 574” looks like a DIY art project come to life. From a pure material standpoint, uppers are made from 73% surplus materials, 9% recycled content and 18% virgin materials, while trim midsoles are the simplest part of the shoe, made from New Balance’s signature EVA foam.
The Jaden Smith x New Balance 574 “Jaden 574” will release on the New Balance webstore come September 17. Its MSRP is set at $120 USD.
Elsewhere in the world of New Balance, the brand has released its famous 992 in a fluorescent-accented colorway.
