New Balance has called on celebrated sportswear designer Eyan Allen to orchestrate its new autumn ’08 functional running collection.
The range, which has prompted highly favourable reviews from top retailers such as Karstadt Sports and Sweatshop, has taken its original inspiration from the Shanghai skyline; the blacks and the greys of the buildings interspersed the city’s bright lights offered the directions for colour. The form of the garments in the collection also found inspiration in architecture with municipal buildings designed by Zahar Hadid in
Montpellier, France, with its trademark of powerfully strong but simple lines being a particular revelation.
For all its inspirational style, the collection is essentially about form and function – the guiding principles for a running collection. It took shape through a full appreciation of how the athlete moves when running.
This understanding of the athlete has also led to a range of innovations, including zips being placed at angles on running tights and ipod/mps player features angled on the forearm for ease of use in motion. Added features include hand snugs for protection against the cold, watch ports to time runs more easily and zoned venting to increase breathability, while the 360-degree reflectivity distinguishes the range and makes those training runs safer in bad weather and at night.
www.newbalance.com
