Year Released: 2019

For its first collaborative effort, Aimé Leon Dore went straight for one the most iconic silhouettes from the New Balance catalogue, the 997. A shoe created by OG sneaker designer Steven Smith, the 997 has had legions of fans for quite some time. Even still, a question remained: Was it a cool sneaker or a dad shoe? Aimé Leon Dore most definitely solidified them as a cool one with this collab.

Crucially, Aimé Leon Dore established a precedent with the marketing for this sneaker-apparel collab, something rooted in both brands' identities. Posters flooded the Big Apple with an old man in Aimé Leon Dore product. Riffing on an older New Balance ad, the product manages to tick two important boxes. For one, it shows off Aimé Leon Dore’s unique, distinctly-NYC perspective on style; it’s not a stretch to imagine a man like this—topcoat, sweatpants, sneakers and, of course, stogie—strolling along the sidewalk in certain neighborhoods within Manhattan or Queens. Furthermore, it gives a fans a peek at how Aimé Leon Dore is going to approach its work with New Balance. The nod to the vintage ad and vintage tagline shows that Teddy Santis is looking for something classic and archival; the humorous, distinctly “New York” quality of the character in the ad is a reminder that Aimé Leon Dore is unafraid to tweak things with its own perspective.

The sneaker design was a thing of beauty. Intricate details throughout reflecting precisely what Aimé Leon Dore as a brand is. The sneakers initially looked to be mismatched, but two pairs released in limited numbers. A mix of neutral hues made up the sneakers' uppers (a detail synonymous with classic New Balance styles), with contrasting pops of color featuring on the sneakers tongues and heel detailing. If you did not know about Aimé Leon Dore you might not even realized it was a collaborative sneaker; the branding was so intentionally minimal.

The sneakers’ insoles were actually where you first saw the Aimé Leon Dore branding. A classy, floral pattern graced the insole with an Aimé Leon Dore tag sewn into it. The box featured the same exquisite design. The simplistic approach Teddy Santis has for his clothing was clear to see with this New Balance release. He took over a classic, added a palette of seasonal colors and an elegant design that fit his brand’s identity perfectly. By doing this, he created one of the most desired New Balance releases at the time, helping to inject some hype back into the traditionally “dad shoe” brand. Collectors of both Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance could not wait to see what the duo cooked up next.

This drop would also see an apparel line release alongside the sneakers with the garments dropping in pastel colorways that perfectly compliment the 997s. We were treated to cardigans, hoodies, sweatshirts, tees and shorts. The standout piece from the collection had to be the fleecewear, arriving in multiple colors. As New Balance—historically—walked the line between prep and streetwear, this Aimé Leon Dore apparel collaboration manages to blend both aesthetics naturally. As the collaboration’s tagline indicates, New Balance’s decision to work with Aimé Leon Dore was… well, “The Intelligent Choice”.

Year Released: 2019

Fortunately, we only had to wait a few months before the pair returned with their next collaboration. Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance joined forces to create two unique takes of the 990v2 and 990v5 silhouettes. Once again tapping into the retro ad archives, the campaign for this release serves as a reference to “Ma Balance”, a classic New Balance character showcasing that the brand’s sneakers are meant for both athletes and every day people. What makes it distinctly “Aimé Leon Dore” is the styling; from the rolled up sweats to the topcoat, the styling feels distinctly “New York”—regardless of the model’s age.

It’s fitting for New Balance to ask Aimé Leon Dore to work on the 990 silhouette at this point in time. Capitalizing on a rise in popularity around the 990v4 (the shoe quickly became an anti-fashion sneaker icon; sitting as a beacon of normalcy within a sneaker industry that’s consistently punctuated with sellout drops and crazy colorways), the New Balance 990 series went from a run-of-the-mill dad shoe to one of the most beloved “general release” sneakers on the market. With the 990v5 (then New Balance’s latest edition of the constantly tweaked-and-released 990 series) arriving as the 990v4 was peaking in public popularity, it serves to reason that New Balance would tap a trusted partner to both celebrate the line’s history (via the 990v2) while bringing attention to its present (via the 990v5).

The v2 was the favorite amongst sneakerheads from the two drops, coming dressed in an autumnal color palette. Pig suede dominates the uppers, coming in a mix of greens, greys and blues. These colors are perfectly complemented with white mesh underlays. You will find pops of yellow on the laces and heel of the sneakers, whilst an Aimé Leon Dore tab features the companies’ branding on the side of the shoe. A fleece material lined the inside of the silhouette, making these the perfect winter sneaker. New Balance's ENCAP technology featured on the shoe midsole, finishing the look of this iconic collab.

The 990v5 is perhaps the more classical silhouette of the two, at least for New Balance purists. The Aimé Leon Dore version is composed of both pig suede and mesh too, dominated by the same green and blue coloring. The aesthetics of the shoe instantly gives you that vintage feel. The cream laces further add to that antique vibe. Fleece sock liners are sacrificed on the 990v5, opting for a waterproof material instead. The Aimé Leon Dore tab we saw on the v2 does feature. However, this is the only branding you will find.

While the duo’s 997 drop (apparel included) helped bring a tidal wave of praise to both New Balance and Aimé Leon Dore, this second drop of sneakers between the two brands solidified Aimé Leon Dore as a streetwear powerhouse. Santis' ability to reflect his brand's personality within his collaborations is what makes the sneakers (and apparel) so good. Authenticity is key.

Unique for this partnership, the two brands dropped a short video to accompany and promote the collaboration’s release. Essentially a “day in the life” of a New Yorker heading upstate with his dog, the defacto commercial shows the ease, utility and—frankly—style behind every piece in the new collaboration—from the sneakers to the apparel.

Speaking of, this collab saw the return of the New Balance x Aimé Leon Dore clothing capsule with this sneaker release. With the change in seasons, this capsule had the addition of fleece blankets and zip-ups, scarves, beanies, socks, sweats and thermals. Featuring “Aimé Leon Dore” written in New Balance’s typeface, it’s hard to know where one brand ends and the other begins.

Year Released: 2020

After the tremendous success with the 990 and 997 releases, it was fair to ask what sort of direction Aimé Leon Dore would take in its next collaborations. The obvious shoe to go for would be the ever-popular 992; the silhouette was seeing a subtle revival and gaining hype thanks to 2020 collabs with brands like WTAPS and JJJJound. Instead, in true Aimé Leon Dore fashion, they went diving into the New Balance archives to bring back one of the lesser-known silhouettes, the 827.

Santis and his obsession for retro sportswear are evident with this shoe, with the vintage runner coming in a mix of primary color colorways. The mesh uppers sit beneath suede overlays, coming in either white, yellow or red. The ABZORB sole ensured the highly-anticipated re-release of the 827 was still able to perform at an elite level. You will find minimalistic branding on the heels of the sneakers, with Aimé Leon Dore on one shoe and New Balance on the other.

Bringing back the obscure running shoe was a stroke of genius from both New Balance and Aimé Leon Dore as the shoe has seen a great revival since with its general release colorways. The sneaker campaign again saw the elders from the previous releases rocking the 827's with sweats. We also see posters of the three sneakers with the tagline “Runners Aren't Normal”.

While that’s likely a nod to the brightly colored sneakers or the idea that even older folks are active runners, it is once again a nod to an archive New Balance campaign from the 1980s, when New Balance used the phrase “Runners Aren’t Normal” to point out that New Balance built its shoes to cater to every runner’s foot—regardless of shape, size or experience level. Either way, seeing the Aimé Leon Dore models in grainy videos running around NYC made all of us want to add a pair of the niche, almost forgotten about, silhouette to our rotations.

At this stage of the partnership, we the consumers had become accustomed to a clothing capsule dropping with the shoes. Santis however, knew better than to deliver what is expected of him. While there was the usual streetwear suspects—sweats, tees, hoodies—the apparel focused particularly on the running theme (pun not intended). The pair created a brand new Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance logo which featured a running man sprinting through the letters “NB”. With Aimé Leon Dore spelt out beneath the logo, the garments were incredibly popular. We also saw the launch of running hats and water bottles, ensuring we all knew this was a drop for the runners out there and fit for function, as well as form.

Year Released: 2020

The latest effort from Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance saw Santis dig even deeper into the archives, landing on a classic basketball silhouette from the 1980s. I'd forgive you for never having heard of the New Balance 550 before this collaboration. The sneaker never hit the dizzying heights of popularity like some of New Balance’s other sneakers—especially those geared towards running. This collaboration really felt like Santis dug deep into the love he has for New York City and basketball. Tapping into the City's reputation as a “mecca” for basketball, Santis plucked the sneaker straight from 1989 and updated it in a way only Aimé Leon Dore could.

The elegant streetwear brand elevated and modernized the silhouette, using premium leathers for the sneakers’ uppers. The subtle cream colorway added to the OG feel of the shoe, giving the appearance of a vintage shoe that was literally pulled from someone’s personal archive. The uppers contrast flawlessly with the mix of colors used on the multiple versions that were released. The yellowing of the sole adds to the effect. The allure around the sneaker was made greater by the fact that Santis released the shoe alongside the Aimé Leon Dore and Team SONNY grassroots basketball program. As seen in the campaign’s photography and promotional video, the young players are themselves the models for the apparel and new sneaker collab.

No matter what Santis does, the Big Apple is never far from his thoughts as shown with his support of a community basketball program. You will find co-branding on the tongue and heel of the shoes, with a new logo created explicitly for the basketball team. When it comes to Aimé Leon Dore, “International Friendship Through Basketball” means more than just a shared love of the game, it’s a love of the culture around the game.

The New Balance x Aimé Leon Dore garments are as popular as the sneakers now, selling out instantly alongside the shoes. The 550 drop saw a mega capsule of clothing release.

The brands left no stone unturned this time around, dropping training tops, basketball jerseys and warm-up pants. The usual cardigans and fleeces also launched with the duo’s new basketball logo. This release of apparel was the most complete we have seen from any Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance collection so far, and clearly designed as an homage to the entire lifestyle around basketball—including life on and off the court.

Year Released: 2020 (Preorder) / 2021 (Expected Release Date)

Despite officially releasing on the Aimé Leon Dore website before the 550, we are still yet to see the launch of the Aimé Leon Dore x New Balance 1300. The preview came shortly after the successful 827 drop as a pre-order, but pairs are yet to be delivered.

The sneakers are set to drop in two colorways, pastel pink and green. Both feature the same minimal branding we have become accustomed to with the duo's releases. An off white tongue and midsole contrast the colorful, suede uppers. The sneaker was initially teased by founder Santis on Instagram and had fans of both brands thrilled at the thought of another collaboration between the two. Unfortunately, we are still yet to see the finished product of this elusive sneaker.

Anybody who did order the mysterious shoe can expect to receive their pair before the full release. The drop is rumoured for Spring/Summer 2021.

Aimé Leon Dore and Teddy Santis's dedication to retro aesthetics is clear to see in each release. Fortunately, Santis and company found a partner in New Balance that has allowed the Queens native the creative freedom to deliver his vision with every drop.

New Balance has had to do its part too, believing in the Aimé Leon Dore vision and the movement it has created—largely before the brand reached the level of renown it has today. Without New Balance trusting Aimé Leon Dore, we may never have seen the return of the 550 and 827 silhouettes. We look forward to seeing what OG New Balance silhouette Santis decides to pluck from obscurity next (with an impeccably styled apparel collection to match, natch).