New Balance and George Esquivel Re-Color 550 Sneakers for Hispanic Heritage Month
New Balance is leaning into its community for Hispanic Heritage Month, thanks to a new collaboration with designer George Esquivel. The duo’s shoe project kicked off their launch with shoe retailer Shoe Palace to commemorate the occasion, as well.
“We are thrilled to Partner with George Esquivel and New Balance to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month and give back to our community,” said Robert Brack, Shoe Palace’s Vice President of product and marketing, in a statement. “This collaboration not only showcases the rich cultural diversity that exists within our company, but it also allows us to support a deserving cause that aligns with our values.”
Launching this month, New Balance and Esquivel are releasing a gifted drawing for their revamped take on the former’s hit 550 sneakers. In honor of the Month — which is currently taking place until Oct. 15 in recognition of the cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the U.S. — Esquivel has customized pairs of originally all-white 550s with a variety of dyes and shoe creams, bringing their uppers a layered, washed and faintly faded span of blue tones.
The style’s signature paneled silhouette and quilted “N” logo remains clearly visible in the shoe, as well as its textile laces and rubber soles — which retain their original stark white finish for a sporty feel. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the limited-edition shoes will also be gifted in a limited number of quantities on Esquivel’s Instagram page and website; users can currently enter their information online for the chance to win a pair of the sneakers.
To toast the sneaker’s launch, as previously mentioned, Esquivel additionally hosted an event with Shoe Palace at the latter’s Little Tokyo store in Los Angeles on Sept. 14. The occasion found Esquivel meeting customers and sharing how he created custom shoes at the store, in addition to a range of art displays, food and on-site music that paid homage to Hispanic culture.
“Shoe Palace and I have always felt it is an honor and our duty to give back and inspire the next generation,” Esquivel said in a statement.
New Balance’s collaborative release with George Esquivel marks its latest 2023 collaboration. This year, the brand has launched a wide range of sneaker and athleisure collections, capsule lines and limited-edition product drops with a variety of brands and individuals, including Jaden Smith, Stone Island and JJJJound, among others.
About the Author:
Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote and interned for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.