Slam Jam’s latest New Balance sneaker collaboration isn’t acutally sneaker. Instead, the two brands are in cahoots to release a take on the latter’s 1906 penny loafer, a sneaker-like slip-on that derives from NB's 1906R.
After linking up for two collaborative takes on the 991 in the last few years, Slam Jam and New Balance’s third drop is a little different, but no less techy-looking.
The silver-toned part sneaker part penny loafer takes the technicalities of a New Balance sneaker (namely the materials and the midsole of the 1906) and blends them with the traditional shape and design of a classic penny loafer.
It’s an unholy concoction that on paper shouldn’t work, but in reality, well, just does.
When New Balance revealed its first loafer silhouette alongside Junya Watanabe at Paris Fashion Week men’s earlier this year, it instantly altered my perception of dress shoes and running sneakers.
Suddenly, two seemingly polar opposite realms were cohesively intertwined into one Frankenstein’d shoe that, unbeknownst to me, works seamlessly.
Since then, New Balance has worked on a handful of inline iterations of the 1906 loafer, including a yet-to-be-released vivid green pair.
Although Slam Jam's New Balance collab is yet to be revealed in full, the two brands have confirmed that an official unveiling will take place on "April 16 7-10 pm". From the teaser image shared to Slam Jam's IG, though, it's pretty obvious that the shoe in question is the 1906 loafer.
Historically, formal wear and streetwear should never mix. But now, it appears that they are now basically one and the same.
