South African-based sneaker store Shelflife just teamed up with local designer Dr. Zulu and New Balance to pay homage to the largest city in South Africa, Johannesburg. The Shelflife x Dr. Zulu x New Balance 574 "City of Gold" is constructed of mesh, nubuck and pigskin suede, while 3M covers the heel for that reflective pop. What makes the sneaker even more interesting is that Shelflife opted for a removable velcro "N" logo on the side panels that can be interchanged between a yellow and multicolor pattern.
To go along with the "City of Gold" theme, the 574 includes three design elements that hold close significance to Johannesburg—the graphic of the Parktown Prawn king cricket is featured on the sneaker's lace jewel and keyring, the prominent grey and yellow is a nod to the city's transportation system, and the branding on the heel represents traditional tribal art. Shelflife and Dr. Zulu sure pulled out all the stops to make sure they represented their city well on this collab.
The Shelflife x Dr. Zulu x New Balance 574 "City of Gold will release on April 17 at Shelflife, while a wider release will follow on April 28. In the meantime, enjoy the photos until the release.
