Exclusive: New Balance Is Finding a Way to Reinvent Its O.G. Sneakers

Find out why the New York City subway was the perfect setting to photograph the new sneakers.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Driving down the road to success is all about finding your own lane and staying in it. For New Balance that means recreating the "dad" shoes that the brand is known for and making separate footwear for performance purposes. The company has now found a way to integrate both of those worlds, and the New Balance 530 sneaker with a Vazee sole unit — the brand's new cushioning system made for speed and responsiveness — is a start in the right direction.

The New Balance 530 was first released in the '90s and has seen a recent string of re-released models, including the original color scheme in white, purple, and black, which the brand has chosen to give the Vazee makeover. To rollout the new campaign around this shoe, New Balance enlisted New York City street photographer Aaron Pegg, who runs the popular Instagram account Underground NYC. Pegg took a pair of the Vazee-edition 530s and shot them in the gritty subways of the city, that happened to be the perfect sitting to display the new sneaker.

"The colorway pops out, it works well and looks good in the subway," Pegg says. "It’s such a grungy, dark, moody atmosphere. To have this pop of color is great."


It makes sense that Pegg and New Balance were able to get together for this editorial, too: Sneaker photography is huge and the subway is a focal point for footwear in New York City, because everyone looks down as straphangers on the train, along with the natural settings that enhance a sneaker's rugged design.

"The platform, with the safety strips, it definitely makes a great shot for footwear," Pegg says.

As far as the shoes go, they'll become available on January 1 for $100.