Joe Freshgoods is heading to the Olympics for his New Balance 990v6 collaboration.
The Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 990v6 “A Friend Named Cousin” is part of an art exhibition of the same name opening Friday, July 26, the same day as the Opening Ceremony for the Paris Olympics. The designer announced the exhibition Monday on Instagram with a trailer while promising more details to come. In his stories, he also revealed official images for the two 990v6 colorways for the first time.
As had been teased and leaked previously, Joe Freshgoods’ 990v6 will release with monochrome colorways available in either red and baby blue. The suede and mesh sneaker stands out primarily thanks to its bold coloring, but a small “JFG” logo can be seen on the mustache. Each pair will also come in a special box coordinating with its respective color scheme.
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Now on his second New Balance collaboration of the year, Joe Freshgoods is known for leaning heavy into concepts for his collections. His new Balance 1000 “When Things Were Pure” capsule from referenced the early 2000s and featured a trailer spoofing an viral television news interview on sneakers from 2011. For his 990v4 from late last year, he also referenced the cult film “Belly” starring DMX and Nas, as well as an iconic XXL magazine cover featuring the latter rapper with Jay-Z and Ja Rule.
The 990v6 is the latest iteration of New Balance’s iconic 990 series and made its debut in 2022, 40 years after the original hit stores as the first $100 running shoe. Now established as a lifestyle sneaker, the 990v6 is equipped with FuelCell Foam cushioning and is otherwise differentiated primarily through small cosmetic tweaks.
Artists Jewel Ham, Teoni, Banga Minthe, Jalil Nzinga, Rello, Goldie Williams and Joseph Robinson will all show at the exhibition.
The Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 990v6 “A Friend Named Cousin” capsule has yet to have its release details confirmed, but the sneakers are likely to go on sale at the exhibition hosted in Paris from July 26 through July 30. This post will be updated as new information becomes available.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
