New Balance: icon of the latest footwear trend with a street-fashion style.

Chunky sneakers, big kicks, ugly shoes, turbo trainers. Whatever you want to call them, the dad shoes trend is back and New Balance shoes are (again) the must-have for all urban fashion enthusiasts.

The trend was born from social media, with young fashionistas sharing the pearls rediscovered by rummaging through vintage markets and their parents' wardrobes in search of some sneaker with a retro look . This trend becomes fashion , conquers the catwalks and the fashion system . You might think that it is the high fashion brands that find their own original expression to ride this trend, but in reality the designers take inspiration from the shapes and colors of the streetwear world .

Jaiden Smith wearing 90s style New Balance chunky shoes sitting on a wall Jaiden Smith w/ New Balance turbo trainers

But what exactly is the “dad shoe”?

Before understanding how and why New Balance's style has re-emerged from that sort of oblivion in which it had been lost for years, it is necessary to understand what we are talking about.

The Dad Shoe is that sneaker with an oversized, extra-padded look characterized by a massive sole and upper , maximum comfort and cushioning and those unmistakable Nineties-style patterns that your father will probably go crazy about.

Steve Jobs wears New Balance 2002r dad shoes during iPad presentation Steve Jobs w/ New Balance 2002r

The past returns but never by chance.
After more than 20 years, New Balance are back and today they are among the most desired and worn sneakers. In the wake of the newfound love for chunky kicks , New Balance constitutes a real fashion trend that has its roots in the now distant 90s, bringing the style of that period back into vogue with top models such as the New Balance 550 , the New Balance 2002r and the New Balance 574 .

The return of New Balance: from turbo trainers to rounded skate shoes

Pair of low basketball sneakers, New Balance 550 Team Red padded skate shoes New Balance 550 White / Team Red - Go to the RAFFLE

Among the most popular models in the latest outfit grids are certainly the New Balance 550.

Although most people think that the NB 550 are a fairly recent model, their history has distant origins.

The New Balance P550 Basketball Oxford , the original name of the NB 550, was born in 1989 as basketball shoes for hitting the basketball floors of the States. However, the competition in that period was fierce. Between Nike's incredible dominance of the basketball segment with the Air Jordan line, Reebok's success with the PUMP and many other court shoes, the sector is saturated and New Balance decides to place the main focus on running , writing part of history of sports footwear in that sector but abandoning - to date we only know temporarily - the NB 550 model.

Emily Ratajkowski wears gray New Balance 550 skate shoes while carrying a stroller Emily Ratajkowski w/ New Balance 550

The domination of New Balance and the return of the NB 550

Thanks to the passion for vintage silhouettes and the '90s style of Teddy Santis, stylist and art director of NB in 2020, the New Balance 550 returns stronger than ever in a revisited super trendy vintage look that ensures the total success of New Balance, especially in the skateboarding world . The secret lies in the versatility and simplicity of the model, padded and resistant, rigorously signed by the iconic rounded "N" Logo .

Since then, New Balance's rise has been unstoppable . The sports footwear brand returns with a straight leg to the streetwear and activewear scene, conquering the taste of everyone, from the youngest style enthusiasts to the most famous celebrities.

Justin Bieber wears white and light blue New Balance 550s with an activewear look
Justin Bieber w/ New Balance

Leonardo DiCaprio wears gray New Balance 574s on the set of Don't Look Up Leonardo DiCaprio w/ New Balance

New Balance conquers the NBA parquets

Even the world of the NBA has rediscovered the style and top performance of New Balance footwear. Champions of the caliber of Kawhi Leonard choose the design of NB basketball shoes for their signature sneakers: the New Balance Kawhi.

Kawhi Leonard wears New Balance Kawhi signature basketball shoes on NBA basketball during a game Kawhi Leonard w/ New Balance Kawhi basketball shoes

The selection of the coolest Dad Shoes brand of the moment is truly vast and capable of offering a solution for any time of the day and any look you want to create. A perfect mood match with the most popular New Balance models of the moment in this Style Wow!