New Balance x Don’t Be Mad “No Emotions are Emotions” 992
" />Themed sneaker releases have been a thing for a while now and there’s no sight of it slowing down. We’re in February so that means Valentine’s Day. Historically we’ve seen a few memorable moments on Vday but this year it’s from a more unlikely candidate.
A man by the name of Joe Freshgoods and his streetwear line Don’t Be Mad are teaming up with New Balance. The “intelligent choice” brand is letting Joe work on the classic 992 silhouette. Per usual in the timing, these will be centered around the NBA All-Star weekend that we’re all looking forward to.
Who’s Joe and What’s DBM?
To shed some light on the collaborator – the west side Chicago native, Joe continues to break barriers in the creative and fashion space while inspiring his local community. Known for his “Don’t Be Mad” clothing line which he started with only $80, DBM became the driving force for Joe to open up his first brick and mortar fat tiger workshop in 2014 in Chicago’s Logan Square, of which he is the co-owner. since then, some of his biggest fans are Malia Obama, Chance the Rapper, and SZA. From being a local legend to earning the nation’s respect with his thank you Obama collection to now brands like Mastercard, Mcdonalds, Hebru and Nike have come knocking at his door for collabs. Along with being a designer, Joe continues to be an amazing dad, dj, entrepreneur, consultant, and continues to live by his mantra, “clothes is art defined by the times”.
Other Valentine’s Day Favorites
As alluded to earlier, we’ve seen some Vday sneakers release in the past that we’re quite fond of. Many brands and silhouettes have put their twist on the Hallmark holiday and sneakers but I think one thing always remains the same – the red. Let’s take a look back on a few.
Might as well talk about another New Balance! This 996 was released a handful of years ago and has a combination of extremely premium materials covered in a combination of red, white and aqua. Heart shaped lace locks were also included, along with sockliners covered in hearts.
In 2013 we saw Vans and Curtis Kulig release what’s turned out to be one of the best Valentine’s Day footwear collections ever. Authentics, Slip-ons, and Sk8 Hi’s were the canvas.
The Jordan Brand has also released several Valentine’s Day kicks over the years, but none have been better than this Air Jordan 5 Retro for the ladies. Jordan Brand celebrated the love-filled holiday with a metallic red finish taking over the AJ V, along with pink laces and heart-shaped basketball logos stitched into the heel of each shoe.
For the first time, 2014 saw Nike Skateboarding release a Valentine’s Day-inspired shoe. Nike executed their debut Vday shoe with a classic white/red SB Dunk Low that’s reminiscent of an original Dunk colorway. Premium leather and suede displays the classic White/Red color combo by Nike SB. A new Valentine’s Day themed SB Dunk also just dropped last week!
A Detailed Look
The New Balance 992, nicknamed the “Anatomy of a Heart,” features a mesh base with leather and suede overlays. As the name suggests, the color scheme mixes different shades of red, pink, and purple. It’s also worth noting that this collection features the OMN1S basketball shoe which is favored by Kawhi Leaonard. The OMN1S is also predominantly pink with the collection’s “No Emotions Are Emotions” tagline printed on a strap across the forefoot.
Here’s the closer look at the New Balance x Don’t Be Mad 992.
Resale Predictions
New Balance is on a bit of a hot streak. The brilliant, classic sneaker manufacturer is coming off smash successes with Bodega, Aime Leon Dore, Kith, Concepts, and others. All have sold out and gone for a fair amount over retail on the secondary market.
From my experience, the longer you wait, the more sought after certain New Balances get. I’ve been trying to track down a few from years ago and they have held their value strongly, which is bad for me, the consumer. Take a look at a couple of these StockX graphs to show their resale value holding on over time.
This should be a priority if you’re looking to make money OR own a dope shoe. These are made in USA so quality will be top notch, that goes without saying. Look for these to resell.
Release Info
You can expect the Don’t Be Mad x New Balance “No Emotions Are Emotions” by Joe Freshgoods to release during All-Star Weekend between February 14th – 16th at a pop-up shop. Once more information is available we will make sure to update.
Check out a full list of the drops to pay attention for in February – we make lists like these every month.
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Thanks y’all.
– Erik
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