New Balance Teases an Update of Its Iconic 990 Sneaker With a Frustratingly Small Billboard

by · WWD
The New Balance 990v7 has popped up this week in a tiny billboard print and on the feet of company chairman and owner Jim Davis.Courtesy of Kate Hui-Bon-Hoa, LoopWheeler

While many other New Balance sneakers get revisions on a yearly basis, a new iteration of its 990 is a much rarer event. Just six different versions have been made since 1982, with the 990v6 being the current model since 2022. That should change soon, though, as New Balance has consumers buzzing with a billboard that’s as challenging as it is a tease.

The New Balance 990v7 popped up suddenly Wednesday on a New York City billboard. Unfortunately, it’s rather difficult to suss out what makes the sneaker different than its predecessors because it takes up just a fraction of the space on its canvas. Almost all of the billboard on the border of Little Italy and SoHo is taken up by negative space, and even the text announcing that it’s the 990v7 is larger than the shoe itself.

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Another sighting of the 990v7 came earlier this week on the feet of New Balance owner and chairman Jim Davis. Satoshi Suzuki, founder of the Japanese brand LoopWheeler, posted a photo with Davis Monday — but because his feet are pointed forward, forming an impression of the sneaker is once again rendered difficult. The one detail that does standout despite the limitations is a much more prominent toe tip.

New Balance launched the original 990 as a premium running shoe with a stabilizing Motion Control Device at the heel as its standout feature. At $100, roughly $270 today adjusted for inflation, it was runner in the industry to reach three-digit pricing.

Running remained the focus when the 990v2 came in 1998, but each subsequent version has been focused on lifestyle, cementing the franchise’s place as one of the brand’s flagship products, if not the one.

For now, no timeline is known for the New Balance 990‘s release. This initial marketing initiative will likely be followed up with more soon, and Footwear News will keep you abreast of any updates.