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New Balance Unveils Possibly Its Most Minimalist Sneaker Yet

The Y2K-inspired lifestyle shoe gets a fashion-forward update that’s completely understated.

Close-up of a white and gray sneaker with mesh and textured leather upper against an orange background.New Balance
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Ethan Brehm

By Ethan Brehm

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When it comes to New Balance, minimalism is almost always relative. After all, part of the dad shoe appeal is putting the utility and tech on full display. 

Aside from the occasional flat white colorway, the Massachusetts-based footwear brand does break from its typical busy aesthetic from time to time. Several collabs with Tokyo Design Studio come to mind, or even the seamless Fresh Foam X RCVRY slip-on. 

But with the latest iteration of its retro-inspired lifestyle shoe, New Balance is showcasing ultimate restraint where it matters most.

White New Balance sneaker with textured upper and segmented black and gray sole.
New Balance turns its Y2K-inspired lifestyle sneaker into a minimalist, fashion-forward silhouette with the 2000S.
New Balance

Future tech

Debuting last year as part of New Balance’s push into more futuristic construction, the Abzorb 2000 is a Y2K-inspired lifestyle runner. Rather than a smooth midsole, the geometry underfoot is sculpted.

Black and gray New Balance shoe sole with textured grip patterns and logo near the heel.
The outsole and midsole construction carries over from the standard Abzorb 2000 model.
New Balance

The exaggerated engineering combines a full-length Abzorb midsole with multiple segmented units of visible Abzorb SBS pods.

The 2000 still possesses the same design language we’ve grown accustomed to with the brand, but with a base that’s decidedly more experimental. 

Top view of a white New Balance 2000 sneaker with gray accents and laces.
The upper gets completely stripped down to create one of the brand’s least-busy shoes in its catalog.
New Balance

Understated upper

With the new 2000S (“S” for “Sleek” of course), New Balance manages to deliver a fashion-forward interpretation of the Abzorb 2000.

White and gray athletic sneaker with mesh upper and segmented cushioned sole labeled "ABZORB.
The “N” logo on the inner foot gets removed entirely to help with the restrained aesthetic.
New Balance

The upper is completely stripped down, featuring wide uninterrupted panels extending from front to back, save for gradient texturing heading toward the laces. Mesh comes into play at the top of the shoe, surrounding the collar and eyestay.

Unveiled in a light gray colorway, the shoe isn’t completely monochromatic. Black is used for the rubber outsole, while a dark charcoal accents the midsole and shadows the bottom of the mesh panel.

Light gray New Balance sneaker with textured upper and segmented sole with black and white accents.
Only a smaller “N” remains on the outside of the upper.
New Balance

Most notably, the classic “N” logo is minimized significantly, with a small version right below the bottom of the laces. There is no “N” on the inner foot.

At first glance, this looks like a completely new silhouette. But the entire midsole and outsole tooling remains the same with the twofold Abzorb tech underfoot.

More colors are expected to drop. Back in April, Quadro Creations unveiled bright yellow and anthracite colorways during its runway show.

Availability and pricing

The 2000S is expected to land this fall. Pricing has yet to be announced, but for comparison, the standard Abzorb 2000 is $170.

About the Author: Ethan Brehm is an associate editor at Gear Patrol writing about footwear, watches, spirits, EDC and more. When he’s not shopping for his next G-Shock, he spends his time watching movies and planning a future road trip with his family. He firmly believes CDs sound better than vinyl.

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