American footwear giant New Balance has unveiled three new vibrant colorways of its recently released XC-72 model, a sneaker said to be inspired by the technological utopianism of the 1970s; in particular, '70s-era racing cars.
As a result, the sneakers boast an eye-catching and heavily textured design that features a speckled outsole, hairy suede upper panels, and an 'N' logo made from 100% recycled materials. In addition, the shoes deliver an almost experimental quality thanks to their low-cut built, vertically split outsole, and square-toed finish.
The three new color offerings include 'Spring Tide/Eclipse,' 'Black/Calm Taupe,' and 'Burgundy/Wheat Field,' each of which works to highlight the silhouettes avant-garde edge. All three versions are now available to purchase on New Balance's website.
Image Credit: New Balance
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- '70s-inspired Sneakers
- Opportunity for other shoe brands and designers to tap into the nostalgia trend and create their own line of sneakers inspired by the 70s era.
- Textured Sneaker Design
- Possible disruption in the shoe industry as more brands experiment with texture and unique design elements to differentiate their products from competitors.
- Sustainability in Sneaker Production
- Opportunity for shoe brands to follow New Balance's lead and invest in sustainable materials production to address consumer demand for eco-friendly fashion options.
Sectors Adopting This
- Shoe Manufacturing
- With more shoe brands introducing unique, nostalgia-inspired designs, shoe manufacturers will need to adopt innovative technology and materials to support these new trends in footwear.
- Fashion Design
- New opportunities may arise for fashion designers to create clothing lines that pair with the new trend of retro or 70s-inspired shoe designs.
- Sustainability in Manufacturing
- With an increasing demand for sustainable products, manufacturers in all industries will need to be aware of new developments in eco-friendly production practices and materials.
