New Balance's Japanese factory partner m.lab just teased a Made in Japan New Balance 991v1, the 2001 classic built in Japan this time instead of Flimby. Sole Retriever spotted the preview on m.lab's Instagram, under the line "A Legacy, Still in Motion." There's no release date or price yet, so treat this one as reported, date TBA.
We only get one heel shot, but it's a good one. The pair is classic grey nubuck with darker blue-grey accents, a soft grey "N" on the heel tab and "made in JAPAN" stitched in white right across the heel counter. Sole Retriever says it's based on an unreleased 991v1 sample, so the paneling and branding differ a bit from the version you remember, including wavy stitching running down from the heel along the lower side panels. ABZORB is still sitting in the heel where it belongs.
Our take: Made in UK gets the tweed, Made in USA gets the hype, and now Japan wants a turn with the 991. A single heel photo is a tease, but a grey 991 with Japanese factory stitching is about as safe a bet as sneakers get. If it shows up outside Japan, people who skipped the 991 the first time are going to have regrets.
New Balance 991v1 Made in Japan
Color: Grey
Release date: TBA (reported)
Price: TBA
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Image: m.lab / New Balance, via Sole Retriever.
Sources: Sole Retriever
