New Balance 1890 ‘Boysenberry’

There is something quietly subversive about a running silhouette that refuses to behave like one. The New Balance 1890 has spent its time on the periphery of the footwear conversation, never quite shouting for attention yet consistently earning it from those who pay close enough attention to the brand's deeper catalogue. With the arrival of the 'Boysenberry' colourway, that understated confidence takes on a distinctly chromatic character.

The upper leans into a rich boysenberry purple, that particular shade sitting somewhere between ripe fruit and bruised dusk. It is not a colour that hedges its bets. Suede and mesh panels work across the construction with the kind of material contrast that gives the 1890 its textural intelligence, while punch yellow accents punctuate the design at key points, creating a tension between the deep, muted base and flashes of sharp, almost citric warmth. The combination reads boldly without tipping into excess, which is precisely the balance the 1890 tends to strike when it is operating at its best.

Structurally, the 1890 draws from New Balance's performance running lineage, carrying that heritage through its cushioned midsole and considered proportions. The silhouette sits at a moment in sneaker culture where technical running shapes from the late 1990s and early 2000s carry genuine cultural weight, and the 1890 wears that context without leaning on nostalgia as a crutch. The U18909P5 style code identifies this specific build, and the shoe is offered across both men's and women's sizing, recognising that a colourway this considered deserves the widest possible audience.

The New Balance 1890 'Boysenberry' (U18909P5) is scheduled to release on 16 April 2026 through New Balance and select stockists including asphaltgold, Afew Store, and 43einhalb, carrying a retail price of €190. For a shoe that delivers both visual ambition and material craft at this level, that figure feels entirely earned.