New Balance has never been one to forget about manufacturing quality. That’s clear in everything from the materials used, to the hand-stitched sneakers in the Made in England and Made in the USA lines. But the newest addition to the former line, takes it up a step indeed. The shoe is actually constructed from Grenson leather, and assembled in two different factories at opposite ends of England.
First, Grenson acquires full-grain calf leather from their suppliers. Supple and smooth, the leather is the best kind available for shoes from sneakers to loafers, and everything in between. From the benchmade Grenson factory in Northamptonshire, the leather is sent over to New Balance’s hand stitching factory in Flimby.
There, the leather is cut into patterns for the classic New Balance 576, and sent back over to the Grenson factory. There, Grenson adds its signature brogue detailing and punching across the shoe’s upper, giving it a formal, refined look. The leather is also polished to bring out the natural color and texture.
But it hasn’t finished its journey yet. The patterns are sent back over to the New Balance factory in Flimby where they’re hand stitched into the final product. The result is a beautiful, classy sneaker with distinctly dressy elements like brogue detailing and punchouts. It’s the perfect mix of casual and formal elements that reflects its dual heritage.
Of course, all of that back and forth takes a lot of work, so there are only 800 pairs of the limited edition New Balance x Grenson Made in England 576GRB. The initial online lot sold out almost instantly, but there are still remaining pairs that will make their way to retailers worldwide on January 23rd. If you want a pair, it’s worth looking now to confirm what stores near you may carry them.
