More New Balance 1906L Loafers Surface

UPDATE 15/04/2024

In addition to the lime green version that leaked earlier this year, stock images have now surfaced of two previously unseen New Balance 1906L loafers.

One of the more divisive shoes to crop up in recent memory, the 1906L is a rare example of New Balance departing its comfort zone to create the ultimate dress/ performance vessel that has already divided acolytes of the Boston running shoe company without even releasing.

The design features the same sole unit used on the 1906R, 2002R and 860v2 as scaffolding for dressy uppers, shrouded in mesh tabs and kinetic panelling, stabilised by the iconic heel cage of the 1906 range.

The first comes in a mix of grey and shiny silver, resembling many of the New Balance 1906R colourways that have seen a rise in popularity in recent times. Another New Balance trope comes to light via the pre-yellowed midsole - adding a vintage edge to the loafer/ runner hybrid.

The second colourway uses a classic New Balance combination of navy blue mixed with dark brown, this time opting for nubuck overlays and a shot of bright blue on the midsole.

With stock images surfacing, expect release information on the New Balance 1906L to be publicised soon.

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE 26/02/2024:

During Paris fashion week 2024, one collaboration rose above the highest of fashion houses, stealing headlines from the likes of Louis Vuitton, Dior and even the same preview said collaboration was featured in.

We are of course referencing the Junya Watanabe x New Balance 1906L Loafers that in the designer’s signature motion, challenged the grain by debuting a world-first pair that defines the term “cross sectional”.

The New Balance 1906L loafers cover a taboo that *in theory* should never be explored, however there’s something about the utilisation of a running shoe’s sole unit used to prop up a classic penny loafer upper that simply just works.

If the concept alone doesn’t satiate the current appetite for increasingly “out-there” footwear designs, a leak has since surfaced showing a mainline iteration of the New Balance 1906L Loafer in a striking lime green palette.

Courtesy of @woganwodeyang, the leak shows a contrast to the monochromatic versions on display at Junya Watanabe FW ‘24, this time anointing the unreleased shoe with a vibrant colour scheme across the mesh and textile loafer portion, rolling over to the midsole, offset by metallic hits on the ABZORB heel cushioning.

Expect more colourways of the New Balance 1906L Loafers to surface over the coming months.