Comme des Garçons introduced many audiences to New Balance‘s sneaker moccasin in January during Paris Fashion Week, coming six months before the silhouette would hit stores. The wait for the collaboration has remained ongoing, however, but will finally come to an end before the week closes out.
The Comme des Garçons Homme x New Balance 1890A offers up the hybrid shoe in two colorways featuring noticeably elevated materials. Tonal black and tan treatments both feature uppers predominantly made of suede and with the trim of its apron offering slight shine in leather.
More uniform in color is the black pair, which varies slightly in saturation through the upper’s paneling and continues in black through the sole unit. Its only true deviations come from the silver badges reading “Comme des Garçons Homme” and “Abzorb” on the tongue and midsole, features that repeat on its tan counterpart as well. A distinctly color-blocked sole unit on the tan pair then moves through white, gray and clay red from the top down.
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Since launching in July, the 1890A hasn’t made as much noise as New Balance’s 1906L sneaker loafer did last year. Releases have experimented with a range of materials and patterns including a standard mesh and synthetic combo, faux-crocodile skin and cow-print sued — and Comme des Garçons is now stepping in as the first collaborator to get a release.
Just like the 1906L, the 1890A is also itself a riff on a riff. The letterless 1890 debuted in February as a mash-up of the upper from the 890v3, which originates from the early 2010s, and the sole unit of the 2002 from the same time period.
The Comme des Garçons Homme x New Balance 1890A will release Friday through the channels of CDG and Dover Street Market. Pricing has not yet been confirmed but expect an uptick from the model’s usual $200 tag.
