New Balance is no stranger to drawing inspiration from Japanese culture in some of its sneakers. You have most likely heard of the Tokyo Design Studio series, and there are even ultra-high-end New Balance 327s that are handcrafted in Japan. For its latest Pack, New Balance draws inspiration from the Boro technique Japanese farmers use in mending clothes.
The idea behind the Boro technique is it consists of multiple layers of salvaged cotton or hemp material to create clothing so that the Japanese stay warm during the winter season.
Consisting of the 550 and 580, the New Balance Boro Pack features various shades of blue with a patchwork upper that mixes various materials like soft suede, hairy suede, pre-aged suede, denim, woolen canvas, and even cracked leather.
To give proper homage to the Boro technique, both sneakers feature hand-sewn details that include exposed white stitching. The result are sneakers that have a unique look and fit well with the lifestyle vibe the New Balance is pushing for most of its retro runners.
Both sneakers are expected to drop this November, though there’s no word if they will make it to the Philippines.
