Styles 

New Balance’s 990 changed the sneaker landscape when it was released almost 40 years ago. A high-performance running shoe, its innovative tech and cushioning instantly made it a hit both on and off the track, and though it was originally made with performance in mind it soon became renowned as a sneaker that walked the line between performance and lifestyle

The New Balance 990v1 is more than just a shoe; it's a piece of sneaker history. Its blend of cutting-edge technology, high-quality materials, and domestic craftsmanship set new standards in the industry and paved the way for future New Balance innovations.

It wasn’t until 1998 that New Balance updated the 990, returning with the second iteration of the silhouette. The 990 line had continued over the intervening period — running from the 995 to the 999 — but this time the Boston-based brand ripped up conventions and redesigned the original. The technical innovations continued for the 990v2, with the Boston-based brand introducing an ABZORB midsole for shock absorbing, while its overall aesthetic referenced some of New Balance’s contemporary releases.

Arriving in 2012 to celebrate the original silhouette’s 30th anniversary, the 990v3 was arguably the first step towards the 990 as we now know it.

By 2016, New Balance was well aware of the legend around its 990 silhouette. Returning to the sneaker just four years after the 990v3 had arrived, the label tapped perfectly into a “dad shoe” trend around at the time while also updating a string of design elements from its predecessors.

n 2019 New Balance launched its 990v5, its most structurally robust take on the silhouette to-date. With a tonal TPU power strap wrapping the upper, alongside the premium pigskin we’d come to expect from the sneaker, the 990v5 was the first iteration to take on the brand’s slightly alternative color palette of “Slate Grey.”

Slated to be dropping in 2022, newly-appointed creative director Teddy Santis recently teased images of the forthcoming 990v6 via his personal Instagram account. At first glance, the v6 looks similar to its predecessor with the chunky, multi-layered look we’ve come to expect, although Lindie has noticed a few tweaks upon closer inspection