If New Balance is right, then we’re in for an era of retrofuturism, as the brand releases its XC-72 in collaboration with Casablanca.
The XC-72 is part of New Balance’s Shifted collection, complementing the 237 and 327 styles, and intentionally calls on the 1970s for inspiration. Product manager Alana Burton says the XC-72 ‘describes the future as seen from the past and the past as seen from the future.’
Its designer, Charlotte Lee, says, ‘The XC-72 is the physical embodiment of retro-futurism. As with the 327, I asked myself, “If I was a designer in the ’70s, what would I create as New Balance’s concept car?” I took inspiration and specific elements from the past and reimagined them for today’s consumer. This methodology creates a timeless design that we hope will be reimagined, yet again, in another 40 years.’
Lee’s 327 had already made a brief preview earlier in 2021 in Casablanca’s autumn–winter 2021–2 presentation, Grand Prix, and the XC-72 follows its design themes.
The initial colour ways are orange and green with white and grey accents; and red and yellow with black and white accents, meant to recall luxury sports’ cars, with the black outsole suggesting racing tyres. New Balance’s campaign calls the XC-72 ‘Sports car for your feet,’ using a narrow ITC Garamond, which was seen in 1980s Apple advertisements.
The limited-edition Casablanca collaboration drops August 28 at newbalance.co.nz and select retailers including Good as Gold, Subtype, and Loaded, priced at NZ$270.
The first multi-colour version of the XC-72 drops September 3 (shown below).
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