Editor’s Note (Friday, August 6th at 10:49 AM): As expected, these sold out fast. Like, really effing fast. I sat in the queue for an hour behind 7,000 others. There were 43,000 people behind me. But, they’re already up on StockX… for $1,499. Cop them if you have extra cash.
Whenever someone mentions Levi’s, sneakers aren’t the first thing you think of. It’s jeans, right? Walking around with denim on your feet would be a scary sight for sure. As you could probably guess, though, people have done it. Blackstock & Weber made a denim loafer, which was cool. Levi’s and New Balance collaborated on a janky, jean-covered 327 sneaker, which was not cool.
But now, the duo are back again with what I firmly believe to be the New Balance collab of the year, beating out plenty of competitors thus far (and surely more to come): these Levi’s x New Balance 992 sneakers.
If you’re familiar with New Balance’s signature aesthetic — gray suede on gray suede on gray suede — then these will look familiar. But, Levi’s snuck in a subtle twist: Along with nappy, hairy suede, these 992s are also made from swatches of upcycled Levi’s Authentic Vintage denim in an equally soft, subtle grey. Yes, knowing this makes it easier to chalk them up as jeans for your feet, but they don’t look like blue jeans at all. And that’s a good thing.
This pair sidesteps vivid colors and eye-popping patterns in favor of, according to my count, 11 shades of grey. Once seen as a sort of “dad fashion” snafu, gray New Balance sneakers are suddenly very cool. These embrace the popularity while taking things a step further, employing both premium materials and a stateside supply chain.
But act fast. The line’s already forming. Few will take the ultimate prize — aka a pair of these. Levi’s and New Balance both admit there’s a limited supply of this particular Made in USA 992, all but ensuring the resale value will be far above retail — which is a steep $250 to begin with.
