If you’re not familiar with mfpen, you’re likely going to see the name around quite a bit over the next year thanks to its history-making New Balance 992 collaboration—the first to remove the iconic “N” logo from the sides of the shoe.
Unveiled during the most recent edition of Copenhagen Fashion Week, the Made in USA sneaker could’ve gone unnoticed given its grey color scheme and captivating designs from Sigurd Bank and company. Yet, the pair has made the rounds across social media thanks to the insatiable NB 992-fandom and the fact that mfpen’s collab forgoes traditional profile branding.
The ghost of New Balance’s “N” logo is visible on the special-edition sneaker, but nothing else. As a brand rooted in heritage, the Boston-based institution has only recently shaken off its reputation for being a “boring” brand only worth checking out for its comfortable “dad shoes.” With mfpen’s project, the company is blending experimentation and tradition, just as it has on the $400 2040v5 silhouette.