I think we can all agree that fashion is subjective.
What is one person’s everyday outfit, is another’s avant garde extremity. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle, aware of trends, but really only buying into the ones that personally appeal.
But there’s a new shoe arrival that’s got everyone talking.
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The New Balance 1906 shoe is a cross between a sneaker and a traditional penny loafer, a ‘snoafer’ if you will. The controversy is really only around whether it’s ugly or not – The shoe’s normcore aesthetic embraced by the very hip, while others say ‘absolutely not.’
The style first came to attention when it debuted at Paris Fashion Week in 2024 through a collaboration with Junya Watanabe.
Some lapped up the idea and put themselves on waiting lists, likening it to the arrival of numerous other traditionally ugly/cool styles that have made their mark on fashion, like oversized ‘dad’ sneakers, Teva and Birkenstock sandals and the always divisive split-toe Tabi shoes from Maison Margiela.
One New York Times style reporter said the New Balance 1906 style was “a meme first and a viable footwear option second.”
The shoe design has had a lot of attention online, going viral in some spheres, with several colour-ways eventually being released.
The good, or bad news, depending on your thoughts, is that they’ve now reached our shores.
The just-dropped 1906L boasts a brand new suede upper, that moves the look even closer to a formal shoe, only with incredible comfort.
If you’re interested, you better be in quick, they aren’t likely to stick around for long. They may already have sold out, but we’re betting they’ll be back before long.
