Dad’s back, and he’s had a bit of work done. The New Balance Made in USA 990v7 dropped on 6 November, the seventh version of a shoe that started out as serious running gear and somehow became the unofficial uniform of fashion editors and suburban fathers at the same time.
With the first 990 appearing in 1982, it was also the first running shoe to cost more than $100, a bold ask in the early eighties for something you were going to get muddy. Runners didn’t mind, because nothing else on the market came close on cushioning and build quality.
Its second life didn’t come until later. The 990 drifted off the track and onto the feet of dads running weekend errands, and then, around the time normcore made plain clothes desirable, the fashion world caught on. “Dad shoe” went from a dig to the highest compliment a sneaker could get, and the 990 has lived comfortably in both worlds ever since.
That makes every update a balancing act, and New Balance describes its approach to v7 as “memories from the future.” In practice it’s a careful glow-up. The silhouette, the suede and that chunky sole are all still there, now with tighter proportions and tidier layering that make the shoe look lighter on the foot. The upper mixes pigskin suede and mesh with leather accents and synthetic suede sway bars, and every pair is still made in the US, where the brand runs five factories in New England.
The bigger changes are underneath. The FuelCell foam from the 990v6 has been reworked to feel softer and springier, backed up by ENCAP cushioning, the classic CR heel device and a new TPU shank under the midfoot. Runners get a livelier ride, and anyone planning a twelve-hour day of gallery hopping followed by a long night at the bar gets something just as valuable.
Fronting the campaign are ROSALÍA, quarterback Josh Allen, basketball star Cooper Flagg and K-pop icon IU, a line-up with almost nothing in common apart from their shoes. New Balance president Chris Davis says the 990 is loved by “supermodels in London and dads in Ohio alike,” and with that cast, he has a point.
The 990v7 is out now at newbalance.com and selected retailers worldwide, priced at $200 / €250.
