# Politically Themed Casual Sneakers New Balance and Public School Drops a We Need Leaders Shoe By Amy Duong | Published 2020-10-27 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/we-need-leaders References: [hypebeast](https://hypebeast.com/2020/10/public-school-new-york-new-balance-327-we-need-leaders-collaboration-voting-first-look) Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow's [Public School](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lake-geneva-series) works in collaboration with [New Balance](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/9060-sneaker-colorway) on a pair of the 327 sneaker model with the phrase 'We Need Leaders.' This partnership is politically charged and adorns the casual sneaker model with subtle accents throughout. The upper features a blue base foundation, which references the Democratic party, detailed with the phrase "We Need Leaders" in green. Additionally, there is also the white "All roads lead back to the streets" branding details. This was playfully showcased on social media via Public School's [Instagram](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prosperity-be-the-prize) account with the caption reading "voting kicks." The slogan can also be seen on the tongue and "WNL" is debossed across the heel as well in a gray hue to round out the sneaker. Image Credit: Public School ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.9/10 - Popularity: 49% | Activity: 29% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Politically Themed Apparel:** Opportunity for brands to create politically charged clothing items and accessories that make a statement. - **Collaborative Fashion Partnerships:** The rise of collaborations between fashion brands to create unique and limited-edition products that merge different styles and aesthetics. - **Social Media Branding:** Using social media platforms to showcase and promote new fashion products to a wider audience. ### Who This Affects Most - **Fashion:** Opportunity for fashion brands to incorporate political themes into their designs and collaborate with other brands to create unique products. - **Footwear:** The footwear industry can explore the market for politically themed sneakers and work with fashion designers on collaborations that appeal to consumers looking for expressive and meaningful footwear. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Opportunity for marketing and advertising agencies to assist fashion brands in creating social media campaigns that effectively promote politically themed products and drive engagement. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Neutral Tonal Lifestyle Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/9060-sneaker-colorway.md) - [Dynamic Vibrant Sneaker Collabs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prosperity-be-the-prize.md) - [Loafer-Style Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-balance-1906l.md) - [Pastel Blue Monochromatic Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/joe-freshgoods-and-new-balance.md) - [Rich Green Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-balance-993-1.md) - [Textural Neutral Sneaker Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-balance-001.md) - [Collaborative Textural Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1906-sneaker.md) - [Stealthy Joint Technical Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/supercomp-elite-v4.md) - [Sneaker-Resembling Electric SUVs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/327-edition.md)