After over six months since the partnership was announced, the Italian luxury men’s apparel brand Stone Island and New Balance Tokyo Design Studio have revealed their collaboration.
SEE ALSO : Stone Island collaborates with New Balance’s Tokyo Design Studio
Described as “the first chapter of this long-term partnership”, the new release is a reinterpretation of New Balance’s RC_ELITE. The sportswear brand reinterprets its racing and training shoe by giving the 3D knit upper a stripped-down look, which reveals each brand’s logos at the toe box underneath the overlays on each shoe.
This collaboration still maintains its performance elements with a carbon fiber plate embedded in the FuelCell midsole for energy return. Material innovation stands at the forefront of the collaboration. The mesh and the logo have been constructed using 3D technology.
“Both New Balance and Stone Island are independently minded brands with strong aptitudes for calculated risk taking,” said Chris Davis, Chief Marketing Officer at New Balance
“We both pride ourselves on having our fingers on the pulse of culture, elevating our rich heritage and creating authentic brand experiences for our global consumers. We look forward to pushing the boundaries and experimenting with design,” added Davis.
The Stone Island x New Balance Tokyo Design Studio RC ELITE SI will be available on 7th October in selected Stone Island flagship stores equipped with an iPad, which will immerse users in an experience that ends on the Stone Island web store, where the shoe can be bought. On 12th October, it will be released on Stone Island website and for mainland China, it will be released on Stone Island WeChat Store from 13th October.
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Known as cultural drivers, both brands share similar values of research and functionality in their respective areas of expertise, and take an analytical approach to innovative data-driven design.
It is exciting to see what else the partnership will bring.