New Balance's Flimby factory is cooking in purple. The New Balance 991v2 Made in UK "Black Plum" (U991WP2) is set to release overseas in October through New Balance retailers for €250, per Sneaker Wars and Fullress. A US date hasn't been announced, so it's date TBA here.
The upper is smoky plum pigskin suede over darker plum mesh, with a silver-grey N logo, plum laces and tongue, black inner lining and an olive heel stabilizer. The surprise is underneath: a dark green-black sole instead of the usual white midsole, with translucent ABZORB SBS windows on the side. FuelCell and ENCAP handle the cushioning.
The 991 first came out in 2001, and the v2 update in 2023 kept the shape while modernizing the midsole and upper.
Our take: plum suede on a dark sole is a grown-up color that still gets noticed. It's very British: quiet, a little moody and great with a raincoat. At €250 you're paying for the made-in-England label, and it shows.
Shop what's in stock in our New Balance collection.
New Balance 991v2 Made in UK "Black Plum"
Style code: U991WP2
Release date: October 2026 overseas; US TBA
Price: €250
Image: via Fullress. Sources: Sneaker Wars; Fullress.
