After delivering one of 2020’s hottest collaborations, Salehe Bembury teased another iteration of the New Balance 2002R on Instagram.
Bembury — the FN 2020 Designer of the Year — shared an image holding a shoe, only revealing the heels. The look is dressed in blue and green hues, with a white and green midsole featuring orange speckles.
The beloved designer shared no info about the sneaker, only offering a simple caption: “Water.”
At the time of publication, neither Bembury or New Balance offered details of the release of the shoe, or if there were plans for this to be released to the public.
Bembury was the center of attention in the sneaker world last year, with much of the fanfare surrounding the new-look New Balance 2002R bearing his name. The outdoor-inspired sneaker, executed in a color palette reminiscent of Antelope Canyon in Arizona, released — and quickly sold out — on Oct. 23.
Last year was a busy one for Bembury, and this year appears to be no different. To kick off 2021, he shared an image on Instagram announcing his new brand, Spunge. “@beaspunge is my brand. It will also be the hub for all of my collaborations and work. Stay tuned,” Bembury captioned the Instagram post.
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This announcement came days after he announced on Instagram that he was departing from Versace, which he would also confirm in an email to FN. “Donatella [Versace] offered me a life changing opportunity, and Versace offered me a platform. Often, individuals that look like me are not put in the same position. This significant detail was not taken for granted and ultimately I hope that my role is used as a vehicle for progress. I am forever grateful for what was bestowed upon me and extremely proud of what we were able to achieve,” Bembury said in a late December 2020 statement.
Also in December, Bembury offered a closer look and release details for his second independent collaboration, a pair of new silhouettes — the SB-01 and the SB-02 — with China-based athletic company Anta. The shoes will also feature a new cushioning technology he created called Anta Nest.
