New Balance Revive a Sleeper 1500 from 2006
Sometimes it feels like there is a friendly rivalry between Made in USA and Made in UK divisions, as each factory continues to churn out key heritage models. The Flimby team have been bringing plenty of heat to the table lately with the reissue, and now they’re reviving a former flagship in the retro runner. For those sneakerheads who have been around the block a few times, this ‘new’ colourway should bear more than a passing resemblance to a mid-2000s release.
This 1500, codenamed M1500KGW, is a retro of the M1500BGW (K corresponds to black on the CMYK colour chart, and B stands for ‘Black’. Capiche?) that first released in 2006. It was a bit of an underrated release, thanks to emerging during the brightly coloured era of vibrant suede collaborations and the occasional patent hit. However, the KGW’s straight-faced presentation now ironically is a standout sneaker among the occasionally chaotic sneakers of today. Fine black nubuck is paired with perforated white leather inserts, eschewing the usual suede and mesh build. White ENCAP soles and corresponding accents lock in the tidy coordination. The only deviation from the OG is the lack of ‘Limited Edition’ embroidered on the tongue beneath the ‘Made In England’ text, but that’s a detail only the most fervent NB nerds will notice.
Keep it simple and clean with this NB1500 that is available in a full size run (for now!) at Hanon.