When we say that the sneaker industry and high fashion always find a way to each other, we mean it. Nobody has done it better for the last few years than New Balance with its collaborations though! And now, the brand strikes again with a cool shoe and a cool partnership. You see, the AURALEE x New Balance collab wasn’t born yesterday, but we’ll circle back to this later. Now, let’s check out the upcoming AURALEE New Balance WRPD Runner collab, shall we?
A Pit Stop at AURALEE the Brand!
So, back in 2015, Ryota Iwai, who started his career from ground zero, launched his independent brand AURALEE. Although the brand is Japanese through and through, its name comes from an American folk song. The literal translation of it would be “golden one”, but the meaning behind it is “the land that lights up”. And Iwai thinks that the name fits impeccably with the brand’s vision. Why? Because he takes inspiration from nature in all of its states to create pieces that people can wear at any time. You can read more about the brand’s vision here, but now, let’s see where New Balance comes in!
AURALEE New Balance WRPD – Another One for the Books
We’re not new to the New Balance AURALEE partnership since it’s been going on since 2019. But in case you are, we’re happy that you finally found it! This time, the brands are branching out from their signature classic collabs. In fact, they’re going wild by introducing a running shoe as a part of high fashion. That might have seemed like a crazy thing a few years ago, but running kicks are all the rage now!
This leads us to the new AURALEE New Balance WRPD Runner. The Japanese brand had the initial pleasure of unveiling the silhouette in 2023. And now, we can expect the second installation of these babies in 2024. The first time we saw the upcoming kicks was during the SS24 Paris Fashion Week. And if we’re honest, the choice of silhouette is *chef’s kiss*. Now, here’s everything you should know about these babies.
What to Know About the AURALEE New Balance WRPD
The upcoming AURALEE New Balance WRPD Runner will be available in two colorways, beige and dark navy. Moreover, the mix of mesh, nubuck, and suede gives these babies a luxurious edge that we love! You can expect the kicks to hit the AURALEE Japan store on April 18, 2024, for a price tag of about $172. Mind you, they will also be internationally available on the New Balance site and select retailers. You can check the list in detail here.
Now, if you’re thinking beyond making a fashion statement, these kicks will deliver. You see, the navy pair is currently worth about $600 in resale, while the beige pair goes for about $500. So when it comes to profit, these are pairs that are worth the investment. But when kicks are valuable, the demand rises, and so does the competition on drop day. Luckily for you, a sneaker bot like NSB3 can help out!
If you wanna know more about sneaker botting and how that will work out for you, check this out. And if you’re already aware, then it’s probably time to get your NSB3 key. Godspeed!
