New Balance
New Balance 550
A forgotten 1989 budget basketball shoe turned global lifestyle icon.
Year Released
1989
Designer
Steven Smith
Silhouette
Low
Category
Basketball
Original Retail
$45
About
The New Balance 550 was originally released in 1989 under the name 'New Balance P550 Oxford', designed by Steven Smith as a low-top basketball alternative to the company's New Balance Pride 650. It was a budget shoe at $45, marketed primarily as an accessible performance option. The upper used smooth leather with perforated profile panels and lightweight mesh for breathability. The shoe used a thick EVA foam sole and a moulded heel for stability. After decades of near-complete obscurity — the shoe was so forgotten that New Balance had to buy used pairs and locate old sketches to recreate it — the 550 was revived by New York label Aimé Leon Dore in October 2020. The collaboration proved so successful that it triggered a general-release relaunch by New Balance. The 550 is now one of the most popular New Balance silhouettes globally, widely sought in India for its clean court aesthetic, chunky profile, and versatile colourways.
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