The company has produced three limited edition trainers to honour Audrey Stewart, Ian Byers and Victor Dixon, who between them have been crafting New Balance footwear for over 70 years at the company’s factory in Flimby, near the Lake District. The three have been given the title of ‘Flimby Heroes’ and their portraits will feature on the new designs.
The three chosen styles, the 1500, 670 and 577 have been reintroduced in their original grey/navy colourways. The limited edition footwear, which will be available in-store from October 1, will be distributed to fewer than 150 outlets worldwide and only 1906 (the year that New Balance was conceived) pairs will be produced in each style.
The longest-serving Flimby Hero, Audrey Stewart, has been working in the stitching department of the factory for almost 25 years. She says: “I’ve been handling and making New Balance shoes for a quarter of a century. I never dreamt I would actually appear on them. It’s a great honour to be involved in the centenary celebrations in this way.”
Ian Byers started at New Balance in 1982 and has been honing his skills as ‘toe and side laster’ ever since, while Victor Dixon, whose finest moment was crafting Bryan Robson’s football boots, has been with the company since 1982.
“We wanted to celebrate our centenary year in a traditional New Balance way,” says Alistair Cameron, General Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa. “As well as honouring domestic manufacturing, the Flimby Heroes highlight how valuable our employees are to us – they are the celebrities of the brand itself.”
