I hadn’t been this psyched about a shoe like the Footpatrol x New Balance 1500 “Encyclopaedia” in a long time. The last release to get me this excited was probably the TGWO x New Balance 577 “Autobahn Pack” in October 2013.
I really liked the whole “Encyclopaedia” and “Knowledge is Key” theme – it had an air of sophistication. The inspiration taken from the latest edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica was executed excellently with the black grain leather and suede and gold stitching.
The ivory midsole and gum outsole were a great addition for a classy and elegant look. What really sold me on the shoes though were the printed insoles with the anatomy of the foot on them. I know that you can’t see the insoles when you’re wearing the shoes but I really appreciate it when collaborators use them as a canvas to communicate their idea. In this case the diagram played well with the shoes’ motto that “Knowledge is Key” – as pointed out on the inside of the tongue.
I decide to mix and match the black and gold laces because I couldn’t pick between the two. The black laces look great because they look much more elegant than the glittery gold. However, the gold laces are stiffer and wider and don’t look as sloppy as the formless black ones. Maybe I should look into throwing a set of black waxed laces on them.
Many people have been complaining about the shape of the New Balance 1500, especially the toe-box. The OG 1500 had more of a wedge-shaped toe while the more recent 1500s to come out of Flimby are a bit rounder towards the front. I don’t mind because the silhouette still looks great and Footpatrol did an awesome job with the collaboration. I’m really happy I was able to get my hands on these!
What are your thoughts on this collaboration? Which laces do you think I should go for? What do you think about the shape of the 1500?
Let me know in the comments below!
Max the Black does Cardiff 