words // Brandon Richard
In late-January, the Chinese Calendar will officially switch over from the Year of the Rabbit to the Year of the Dragon, meaning we'll be seeing several dragon-inspired sneaker releases from various brands throughout 2012. Leaving an early mark on the year will be New Balance, who is set to release the 574 Dragon Pack.
The "Dragon Pack" shoes feature dragon illustrations etched into the leather on the upper, wrapped from the lateral to the medial side panel, where traditional "N" branding has been removed. Colorways include black, yellow and red-based looks, as well as a limited edition gold pair with reflective detailing.
Additionally, New Balance linked up with five of Asia's most influential sneaker retailers to create one-off display pieces for their stores. The pack consists of five runners inspired by elemental hero dragons selected by each shop; fire for Tokyo's Whiz, wood for Mita Sneakers, metal for NPC China, earth for Taiwan's Invincible and water for Singapore's Limited EDT. These, unfortunately, aren't expected to hit retail.
Look for the regular New Balance 574 Dragon Pack to hit select New Balance retailers in Asia later this month.
via Street Thing
