Brand: BAPE x New Balance

Editor's Notes: BAPE Balance? New BAPE? Whichever one takes your fancy, it's about time we slapped a label on all team-ups between BAPE and New Balance going forward. There have been plenty over the last few years, each just as daring as the last.

If the design sensibilities of Teddy Santis (and by default, Aime Leon Dore) aren't exactly your cup of tea when dipping into a fresh set of New Balance – as in, they're a bit too clean and minimalist – BAPE is precisely what you need.

Just like the brand's iconic apparel lines like Shark Hoodies or camo pieces, its footwear collaborations are unapologetically loud – a stark contrast to the norm of NB. Perhaps best of all, should you find yourself with 99x series fatigue, A Bathing Ape likes to cherry-pick silhouettes that aren't as enshrined in the mainstream.

Case in point, the duo's latest production sets eyes on the 57/40. Inspired by the 80s and 90s, the silhouette is best described as the crossroads of simplistic and extravagant design. Set atop a wavy midsole is a layered upper of mesh and suede that displays oversized branding elements. Mostly delivered in muted colorways, it feels like a natural evolution of the more dialed-back styles for which New Balance is known.

With BAPE's hand, these contrasting design languages are exaggerated further, as midfoot branding elements are rendered in Ape Head Camo and encased in uppers rendered in the same colors. Three versions are on offer – a classic green, multicolored, and black on white. There's also a sweet selection of graphic apparel too, but those are region exclusives to Japan and China.

​​To stay updated on everything happening in the sneaker world, check out the best sneakers to add to your rotation this week, follow @highsnobietysneakers on Instagram, and sign up to our newsletter for early access to the best drops sent straight to your inbox.

Titelmedia (Highsnobiety), is committed to facilitating and improving the accessibility and usability of its Website, www.highsnobiety.com. Titelmedia strives to ensure that its Website services and content are accessible to persons with disabilities including users of screen reader technology. To accomplish this, Titelmedia has engaged UsableNet Inc, a leading web accessibility consultant to help test, remediate and maintain our Website in-line with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which also bring the Website into conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Please be aware that our efforts to maintain accessibility and usability are ongoing. While we strive to make the Website as accessible as possible some issues can be encountered by different assistive technology as the range of assistive technology is wide and varied.

If, at any time, you have specific questions or concerns about the accessibility of any particular webpage on this Website, please contact us at accessibility@highsnobiety.com, +49 (0)30 235 908 500. If you do encounter an accessibility issue, please be sure to specify the web page and nature of the issue in your email and/or phone call, and we will make all reasonable efforts to make that page or the information contained therein accessible for you.