The New Balance 990 isn’t like the other shoes. The silhouette is the Boston brand’s franchise player, the leadoff hitter, the North Star for everything New Balance does. While other sneaker brands routinely pump out new iterations of their flagship products (inevitably dulling their allure in the process), New Balance keeps the 990 sacred. New versions of the silhouette—prior to this week, there had only been six—only come around every so often. The V2 was released 16 years after the original dropped in 1982, while the V4 and V5 arrived merely three years apart. This week, for the first time since 2022’s V6, the brand is debuting the latest iteration of the sneaker that started it all. And this time, it truly might be better than ever.
“There’s a real responsibility that comes with redesigning it,” says Brian Lynn, New Balance’s global VP of lifestyle product. “The challenge is in finding the balance between preservation and evolution.” He notes that there are people for whom the 990, in whatever version is on shelves at the moment, has been their daily sneaker for decades. At the same time, each version is also always someone’s first; each has to offer something that can draw that new fan in. “People still appreciate heritage, but they’re increasingly looking for something new,” says Lynn.
Courtesy of New Balance
For the shoe’s previous revamp, the 990v6, the brand overdelivered on the “something new.” The chunky rocker sole didn’t feel too far removed from those commonly seen on Hokas these days, and the mesh and suede paneling had a distinctly modern feel. Of all the 990s it’s the one that felt the most of its moment—which can be a good thing but, a few years down the line, risks that moment passing.
The 990v7 feels like a re-embracing of tradition, with the design improving on what the V6 set out to accomplish. It doesn’t shrink the monster sole, but it does reshape it into something a bit steadier and more old-school than the rocker build of its predecessor. It’s kitted out with a softer version of the brand’s FuelCell tech, plus a combination of ENCAP segment with a modified TPU midfoot shank, which is a very fancy way of saying it’s comfier and more orthopedically sturdy than it’s ever been. They’ve also leaned into the “embrace tradition” of it all by decking the debut colorway’s sole out in a vintage-y cream tone; the usual rich grey suede and mesh paneling we’ve come to expect from the line is there too, on a pleasantly weird and wavy new upper. The pebbled leather tongue and heel tab feel a bit luxe. It’s a real contender for the best a 990 has looked right out the gate.
Courtesy of New Balance
According to Lin, the 990 is, as always, a labor of love for the brand. “I want people to love wearing it, to appreciate the comfort and the materials and the care that went into making it,” he says. You can see the results of New Balance’s latest edition of their flagship silhouette on November 6, when the shoe goes on sale for $200 from New Balance and select retailers.