At New Balance, “Everybody’s Welcome.”
That’s the name of the game for the sportswear label’s pride 2021 collection, which includes a line of vibrant footwear and apparel.
The products, which are meant to celebrate the liveliness of the LGBTQIA+ community, feature spirited art by Hong Kong visual artist, Zoie Lam. Lam’s work expresses a message of “warmth and empathy and underline our belief that everybody is welcome, no matter how you identify,” New Balance shared in a press release.
Shoppers will find colorful shorts and an energetic jacket to match as well as two footwear styles: the Fresh Foam Tempo running shoe and the classic 574.
The collection gives the Fresh Foam, which will retail for $120, a bold upgrade with the hues yellow, red, orange, blue and red blended together on the lightweight silhouette. The style is finished with black laces and a faded white to orange midsole. The 574 maintains its signature appeal with traditional gray suede upper, but the kicker is fun tie-dye laces. That style will come with a $160 price tag.
The collection will drop on June 1 at NewBalance.com. Of the capsule, Kristen Mackenzie, Sr. Marketing Manager for New Balance said: “At New Balance, we believe that product can be purposeful in driving positive change and creating healthy dialog. Zoie Lam’s core value is positivity and she celebrates and encourages ambiguity and fluidity through her art. As a brand, our hope is that this collection will help foster connections with each other, regardless of our differences.”
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In addition to the collection, New Balance is supporting GLSEN — an organization focused on championing LGBTQ+ issues and creating safer school environments for elementary through high school LGBTQ+ youth and students. New Balance has committed to donating $100,000 over two years to directly support GLSEN’s “Changing the Game” program which is being redesigned and relaunched to create safe spaces in locker rooms and on-field, the brand shared in the release.
