New Balance Creates Sneakers Based on the Best American Literature

Image via New Balance

They say to never judge a book by its cover. But what if you judged it by its shoe style instead?

Boston-based New Balance recently announced that they’re debuting a series of sneakers for their “Made in USA” collection that opens the book and pays tribute to some of the greatest American novels ever written. To do that, they’re relying on specific color combinations and choice materials to tell the story behind each shoe.

“Our muse for the New Balance Made in USA collections has always been the storied history of the United States,” said Ben Cuthbert, the associate product manager for New Balance’s lifestyle department. “No one captures the essence, spirit, and the American experience better than American authors and the stories they have told throughout history. For the Made in USA Authors Collections, we pay homage to great American authors by building a collection inspired by their stories and moments.”

Available in July, the shoes will be released on a tiered basis, leaving sneaker heads eager for the next roll out once the first few pairs hit store shelves. While the shoes aren’t specifically tied to an author’s name, the color combinations, key touches of detail, and fabrics picked to build the sneakers were based on literature that drew inspiration from “distinct and pivotal times in American history,” and the essence of events like the westward expansion, building New York City, and happenings on the battlefield. “Themes for many iconic authors,” said Cuthbert.

The first in the series, called the Bespoke Authors Collection, will retail at around $300, and will be available at select locations starting July 1. From there, the Distinct Authors Collection, coming in at $240, will be released in August, followed by the Connoisseur Authors Collection, with each pair costing around $150, coming out in September. According to Sneaker News, all of the styles rely on earth-tone colors and leathers that give them a library-like look.

This is the first time that New Balance is releasing a tiered collection for Made in USA, where there are three distinct categories of styles. “The idea behind introducing tiers was to have the opportunity to add collections where we are able to showcase high-end materials and treatments in a unique way, as well as offer a range of Made in USA footwear for various consumer segments,” said Cuthbert.