New Balance introduces a new design update that details its signature 550 sneaker -- the latest Black Gum colorway palette updates the sleek look. The shoes are made from a blend of materials across their upper, featuring leather, suede, and mesh.
The base foundation of the upper is made with all-black tonal leather material and the panels are made from soft suede touches. Black can also be seen highlighting the N logo on the side of the shoe. Minimal details of grey are seen for a subtle contrast. It all rests on top of a brown gum rubber outsole unit to round out the entire look. It is set to launch before the end of the year.
Image Credit: New Balance
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Black Gum Tonal Sneakers
- New designs of leather, suede, and mesh sneakers highlighted with gum-toned soles are creating a new trend in athletic footwear.
- Mixing Materials in Footwear Design
- Using a blend of different materials for the upper portion of sneakers, such as leather, suede and mesh, is a trend in footwear design.
- Tonal Colorway Footwear
- Footwear designs featuring a monochromatic color scheme, particularly in leather, suede and mesh, are currently trending.
Where This Applies
- Athletic Footwear
- The athletic footwear industry has the opportunity to capitalize on trends such as the use of mixed materials in design and the popularity of tonal colorways.
- Fashion Retail
- Fashion retailers and designers can incorporate the trend of mixing materials in footwear design and tonal colorways when creating new product lines.
- Leather Goods Manufacturing
- Manufacturers of leather goods have the opportunity to partner with footwear companies to provide materials for the creation of new tonal colorway footwear designs.
