mfpen Remakes the New Balance 991v1 in "Surplus Leathers"

Summary

• The mfpen x New Balance Made in UK 991v1 uses upcycled surplus materials for a limited 90-pair release on September 3.

• It features a hand-debossed “N” logo, blending New Balance’s Flimby factory heritage with mfpen’s minimalist aesthetic.

mfpen and New Balance give excess materials new life with their first-ever collaboration, which reimagines the Made in UK 991v1 in “Surplus Leathers.” The debut silhouette from mfpen x New Balance embraces the footwear brand’s archival history, while staying true to mfpen’s design philosophy and lived-in feel.

mfpen founder Sigurd Bank offered Hypebeast exclusive insights on the partnership, sharing, “New Balance has always felt somehow connected to mfpen. I remember styling the first collections with my own thrashed New Balance sneakers. I’ve always loved the normy, dad-core look of the 99’ series, so it felt like a natural fit for us to work together.”

Using leftover materials from New Balance’s Flimby, England factory, mfpen’s 991v1 gets a lived-in feel from a tumbled nubuck, pigsuede, and mesh makeup. The approach aligns with mfpen’s production values, which have historically centered on deadstock, surplus, and upcycled fabrics, as well as conscious mitigation of overproduction. “I went to visit the factory in Flimby, in northern England, and went through their old stocks of leathers and materials. Everything was available in different quantities and with different options, which is why the release is limited to just 90 pairs,” Bank explained. “All upper materials are surplus from past production,” he added.

Notably, the collaborative model tones down the classic N monogram with a debossed finish, lending it a minimalist sensibility, in tune with the mfpen aesthetic. “Personally, I have a hard time with logos, and I think toning down the N is a simple way to mess with the silhouette while still keeping that recognizable New Balance reference,” Bank shared.

And while the subtle N stamp may feel like a contemporary development, it’s actually pulled from the New Balance archives. However, applying the archival detail to the nubuck was its own challenge: “After some trials, they got it right, but they had to do every single emboss by hand. I really liked that process and the fact that it made each pair feel connected to the factory and its history.”

The unveiling of mfpen’s New Balance 991v1 comes just weeks after the brand previewed a New Balance 992 at its SS27 runway presentation at Copenhagen Fashion Week. The mfpen 992 takes the stripped-back look even further, with the shadow of an N logo that appears as if it were torn off. As of the time of writing, the forthcoming silhouette has yet to receive an official release date.

The mfpen x New Balance Made in UK 991v1 ‘Surplus Leathers’ will release in a limited drop of 90 pairs on September 3 at 12:00 CEST / 11:00 BST, with offline availability exclusive to mfpen Copenhagen and Dover Street Market London.