# '70s-Era Racing-Inspired Sneakers New Balance Unveils Three New XC-72 Colorways By Niko Pajkovic | Published 2022-02-25 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xc-72 References: [hypebeast](https://hypebeast.com/2022/2/new-balance-xc72-burgundy-spring-tide-sneaker-uxc72ea-release-info) & [newbalance](https://www.newbalance.co.uk/pd/xc72/UXC72V1-37533.html) American footwear giant [New Balance](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/740-sneaker) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ambush-ss2027) Tide/[Eclipse](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rem-beauty-2),' '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 ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.4/10 - Popularity: 93% | Activity: 87% | Freshness: 11% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### 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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Classic Retro Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/740-sneaker.md) - [Vibrantly Bold Sneaker Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cyber-jade.md) - [Retro Vibrant Detailed Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-balance-1000-2.md) - [Bright Colorblocking Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/2002r-sneaker-5.md) - [Multi-Color Lifestyle Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/green-astral-purple.md) - [Multi-Color Green-Accented Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/new-balance-7.md) - [Vibrant Colorway Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1906r-green-astral-purple.md) - [Spring-Ready Lifestyle Sneaker Colorways](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1906r-sneaker-model.md) - [Vibrantly Inspired Lifestyle Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/northern-lights-sneakers.md)