A cult-like following surrounds select New Balance products, with one standing tall amongst the rest — the New Balance 1300JP. In what has become a tradition, New Balance is retroing the original Steel Blue colorway of the 1300, five years removed from the last release.
Some backstory for those who may just be getting into New Balance sneakers (or who are just unaware of the historical significance of the 1300): New Balance launched the 1300 in 1985 as its flagship luxury running shoe, retailing at the time for $130 (nearly $400 when accounting for inflation). The Boston-based footwear brand knew how expensive it was, even jokingly advertising the sneaker with the tagline “Mortage the house.” A cult-like following emerged in overseas markets for the sneaker, specifically in Japan, where collectors in the ‘90s were paying thousands for deadstock pairs from 1985.
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. When not writing for Sole Retriever, I enjoy attending concerts and catching the latest movies. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
