Upcycled denim and patchwork are two trends fueled by the pandemic, with 2020’s lockdown inspiring consumers to try their hand at DIY denim design. Both looks are also the two major trends on display in Levi’s and New Balance’s latest collaboration.
The U.S.-based brands teamed on a three-piece collection centered on vintage materials and legacy styles. Comprised of an updated New Balance 992 sneaker and a Levi’s 501 jean and Trucker jacket, the collection fuses together past and present for a limited-edition range that blue bloods and sneakerheads won’t want to miss. Because of their upcycled nature, no two pieces of any item are the same.
A trend that seemingly never goes out of style, the denim shoe features patchwork suede and authentic grey Levi’s Authorized Vintage denim as a nod to the sneaker brand’s iconic colorway. The 992 style was first released in 2006 to celebrate New Balance’s 100th anniversary, and reappears with a co-branded N logo and an archival “Levi’s for feet” graphic collection print. No stone left unturned, even the sneakers’ packaging boasts unique details, including a special-edition natural colored box with a red top and co-branded tissue paper on the inside.
The same level of consideration was applied to the collection’s denim pieces, with both jeans and jackets featuring three different gray washes of genuine vintage Levi’s denim and a special-edition hangtag with co-branded graphics.
The collection solidifies the strong partnership between both labels, as the brands have collaborated in the past on both apparel and footwear. In November, the duo dropped a collection of men’s and women’s sneakers, Trucker jackets and a T-shirt that also featured patchwork elements. Prior to that, they teamed on a Levi’s x New Balance 1300 sneaker featuring limited-edition White Oak XX52 denim from Levi’s deadstock inventory from the now-shuttered White Oak Mills in Greensboro, N.C.
The LAV x New Balance collaboration will be available on Aug. 6 on the Levi’s App and NB.com, and will retail from $250 to $400.