New Balance has dropped a capsule collection of 574s and it’s serving ’80s fashion nostalgia

Retro reimagined.

Calling all sneakerheads, New Balance has revealed the much-anticipated capsule collection that will coincide with this year’s Grey Day event.

For those not yet in the loop, Grey Day is New Balance’s yearly celebration of its heritage (and over a century of independence) with a colour that’s come to be synonymous with the brand. 

For this year’s celebrations, New Balance is dropping a three-part collection that looks like it was plucked straight out of the Stranger Things’ wardrobe department.

Originally introduced in the 1980s, New Balance’s 574 is one of the first sneaker iterations to blend both road and trail design features

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This hybrid approach cemented the shoe’s status as a versatile style and contributed to the rise in sneakers being seen as a fashion accessory (rather than just what you wear to pump some iron).

In New Balance’s signature colour scheme (that’s grey, of course) the 2021 collection incorporates two of the 574 styles and a 57/40 counterpart. 

There’s a bunch of new styles to choose from, so let’s break it down. 

If you’re into the classic logomania look, the original grey 574s are your best pick. With the 1980s design and signature ‘N’ branding, you’ll be ready to get ‘Physical’ à la Olivia Newton-John. 

The 574 Un-N-Ding is a limited-run style that removes the N (hint, it’s all in the name). It’s the shoe for when you want to pare it down and have a monochromatic moment. 

The 57/40 is the most modern of the bunch with all of the shades of grey you could ask for, combined into one limited-edition, streamlined Grey Day shoe. 

Overall, the exclusive Grey Day collection pays tribute to one of the brand’s best-selling silhouettes and will have you living out all of your ’80s normcore dreams. 

With the tagline ‘Worn by Anyone’ New Balance’s 2021 collection is a nod to the past, present and future of the brand. It’s also so versatile, you can take it from the bustling city streets to the running track. 

To highlight this, New Balance is showcasing the new collection on some of the world’s star athletes including Jamal Murray, Sydney McLaughlin, Sadio Mane, Coco Gauff and Tiago Lemos. 

While New Balance can’t guarantee that you’ll become an Olympian, the 574s may make you feel as fashionable as 1980s Madonna.

Oh, and did we mention New Balance is also giving 100 pairs away to celebrate its heritage? 

Nab a set of 574s here.