The Palace x New Balance Made In UK 991 Was Fate In the Making
From dressing local football casuals to redefining British streetwear.
It’s hard to deny New Balance‘s presence in the British footwear market, quickly becoming a dominant force on UK streets nationwide. While born in Boston, New Balance has become synonymous with English street culture, dressing style tribes from across the country with athletic kicks that generate status and praise.
New Balance opened its first factory on British soil in 1982, relocating to a small village named Flimby the following decade. Shortly after, New Balance launched its Made In UK line, highlighting local craftsmanship, production, and talent. As a result, the vibrancy of British heritage can be found on every pair, keeping quality at the forefront while paying tribute to local artisans and experimental design.
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The UK-based football casuals had a long-standing relationship with New Balance, delivering an alternative approach to sports footwear supplied by adidas and Nike. While the subculture prided itself on elitism on and off the field, New Balance offered a more refined approach to classic styles. As football casuals grew in age, its members searched for a modest look that aligned with New Balance’s relaxed and comfortable systems.
Due to its history, New Balance’s forthcoming collaboration with London-based streetwear label Palace makes perfect sense. The British imprint founded by Gareth Skewis and Lev Tanju has redefined UK streetwear culture since 2009. Season after season, Palace has dispatched its humorous approach to design through slouchy T-shirts, GORE-TEX outerwear, Triferg hoodies, and more — becoming a quintessential element of the local fashion movement. Grounded in authenticity, Palace has always lived and breathed skateboarding, which contrasts New Balance’s on-field athletic roots.
Both brands have established an intense incline toward collaboration, seeing Palace unite with Umbro, Kickers, UK pop star Elton John, and many more. On the other hand, New Balance has chosen to match with UK retailers size?, Foot Patrol, and London designer Paul Smith.
Now, Palace and New Balance come together under one roof to craft a collaboration cemented in history. Embracing New Balance’s Made In UK 991 model, the duo merge their shared identities to create a timeless design that lasts a lifetime.
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Available in two colorways, the first features a teal ripstop base, complemented by purple leather trimmings that line the toe boxes and ankle areas. Tan suede runs across the mudguards and heel counters, while beige textiles hit the medials with tinted “N” insignia. The rears preview clear windows that showcase divided Palace lettering, completing the design with “P991” lace dubraes, co-branded tongues, and dual-colored bottoms.
The second take is designed in a black, grey, pink, and purple palette, featuring a similar construction to the previous pair. Outdoor pursuits inspire the apparel collection, including water-resistant nylon shell jackets and shorts with dual-logo patches and concealed pockets in purple and teal. Simplistic T-shirts and crewnecks collect merged graphics, completing the range with cinchable caps in matching hues.
Take a closer look at the complete New Balance x Palace collaboration in the gallery above. The range, alongside an in-line lookbook selection, will drop in-store and online on May 12, 11 a.m. EDT on the brand’s official webstore, and in Japan on May 13, 11 a.m. JST on the Palace Japan webstore, and on the official “Palace_Skateboards” WeChat store May 13, 11 a.m. CST.
