Slam Jam and New Balance have been in conversation since 2019. After reinterpreting the brand's icons together — the 990v3, the 991 — the two present Slam Jam New Balance 5030, a brand-new silhouette that pushes Slam Jam's signature silver further than ever.
The shoe features a gunmetal upper, worked in moulded relief and tonal stitchings, with a large embossed ‘N’ at the lateral midfoot. A matte black sole, black tongue and speckled black reflective laces add contrast to a shape unlike anything you'd expect from a brand built on the quiet comfort of the everyday trainer. The heel i sreminiscent of a formal shoe: pronounced and lifted, a nod to the era when only smart shoes got you through the door, and the dressy sneaker was the loophole.
When Slam Jam first encountered this prototype years ago, a chain of associations began: outfit requirements in the early 2000s; the huge disco ball sitting in some far-off room of their archive; the song Kicks Like a Mule by The Bouncer. It had to be their club shoe.
Slam Jam and New Balance first met in Flimby, where the latter has its Made in England factory. Nowhere did the club go mass like in the UK; the Haçienda, acid house and dubstep all share an island. It is only natural that such a scene has fans and converts: Slam Jam managed to find someone who’s both for their campaign. Vuncle is the American talent who carries himself as the classic English lad, building a following online and playing gigs in Ibiza. He may hail from the wrong side of the Atlantic, but he conjures the fantasy properly.
To celebrate the launch, a refined 18th-century Parisian villa will be turned into a house party on 26 June. From 9pm until midnight, the event recreates the pre-night ritual that comes before the club: a crowded living room, loud music, a bunch of tilted sandwiches on grandma’s plates. A gilded private mansion will be stormed by the unceremonious energy of a flat full of people getting ready to go out. Slam Jam New Balance 5030 will be available at all Slam Jam doors and selected New Balance stores, both in Paris and London.
New Balance
Slam Jam ABZORB 5030 Sneakers Black / Dark Silver Metallic
