crooked tongues magazine News Features

These Crooked Tongues and New Balance 1500s are finally getting a release. It feels like they've been in development for a while (the Flimby factory is busy and getting a window for production can be a challenge), but they're currently being made — in fact, our buddies at New Balance gave us some images of the production process that we'll up on the site next week. In the meantime, here's the press release text...we're not ones for copy-pasting press releases, but we thought that we get a pass if we wrote it ourselves:

"The New Balance 1500 design remains a fan-favourite, whether it's made in New Balance's UK-situated Flimby factory or the US facilities, and this duo of colourways celebrates both the shoe and New Balance's longstanding relationship with Crooked Tongues.

This iconic runner broke the mould on its debut in late 1988, with the composite materials in the midsole making it one of the most resilient and technically advanced running shoes ever made — the ENCAP-midsoled, triple-density Evathane padded, performance piece with the menacing angles was a break from the familiar New Balance shape but maintained the prestige of the earlier 1300 model, with a heavy-duty price tag to match.

The 1500 became a totem for NYC connoisseurs with a boosting habit who elevated the shoe beyond performance to a shoe with sub-cultural credentials in an era of footwear one-upmanship.



The 1500 is the shoe that gave New Balance the futuristic template for the decade that followed. With Crooked Tongues passing its first decade in business, it seemed like the right time to pay tribute to the first ever Crooked shoe collaboration — summer 2004's quartet of 576s, (specifically the long sold-out black/orange and white/lime) to offer a muted and brighter choice. The 576s led to a 1500 with Solebox in early 2005 and the 'Confederacy of Villainy' quartet in late 2006, including an M575, 577, 991 and 1500. Exactly five years on, it made sense to celebrate that friendship with this homage.



This release harks back to a pivotal moment for all involved in the site – a set of shoes that set a standard and broke ground for an electronic entity like CT. That's as story-led as this release gets in a world where objects are equipped with unnecessary narratives, and both parties felt there was more mileage in these palettes than the original refresh-and-you'll-miss-it 50 per piece release allowed. It makes sense that a UK site works with the greatest UK source of sneaker manufacture, with their legendarily high standards.



The premium leathers and nubucks remain, but logo stitch colours have been tidied a little, mesh toes are now on both makeups and colour blocking has been tweaked to accommodate for the 1500's unique panelling.



The Crooked Tongues New Balance 1500s go on sale via www.crookedtongues.com on October 15th and via select stockists globally the following week."