In an industry saturated with neon spectacles and algorithmic hype cycles, New Balance has always moved to a different rhythm.
This May, the 119-year-old Bostonian institution reaffirms its quiet dominance with Grey Days 2025 , a month-long ode to the shade that became its silent manifesto. The celebration kicks off with an immersive takeover at Koncrete Café, where the brand’s latest collection materializes not just as product, but as cultural artifact.
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This year’s Grey Days, curated in collaboration with luxury e-tailer Ounass, elevates that philosophy into a full-spectrum experience. From 9-11 May, Koncrete Café transforms into a monochrome gallery, where attendees can preview the 21-piece footwear and 11-piece apparel collection alongside a slate-grey themed menu (think activated charcoal lattes and ash-dusted pastries). The centerpiece? An exclusive photo booth framed by suspended sneakers, offering Instagram-ready proof that neutrality need not be anonymous.
Grey was never supposed to be revolutionary. When New Balance first introduced its now-iconic palette in the 1980s, it was a pragmatic choice: urban runners needed shoes that mirrored their concrete habitats. But in rejecting the era’s fluorescent excess, the brand crafted a visual language of restraint that would outlast trends. “Grey looked good at any speed,” as the company’s archivists note, a tacit rebuke to fashion’s obsession with novelty.
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While the collection spans archival revivals (the MT10, 1000) and modern staples (9060, Fresh Foam X 1080v14), the hero launch is the 1906 Low-Top Sneakers in Mesh—available exclusively on Ounass from May 14. A masterclass in subtlety, the shoe reinterprets New Balance’s 1906 foundation with breathable mesh and muted tonal stitching. Its release underscores a growing demand for hybrid designs that straddle technical performance and minimalist aesthetics.
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Grey embodies everything that sets New Balance apart,” says Global VP of Lifestyle Brian Lynn. It’s not a color—it’s a covenant with craftsmanship. That covenant extends to the 1300JP, arguably the collection’s pièce de résistance. Released only once every five years, the sneaker—priced at Dhs1,349—has achieved near-mythic status among collectors for its precision engineering and buttery suede finishes.
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Images: Supplied & Featured Image: Instagram @lana_.jpg
