With IU fronting the latest New Balance campaign, you bet there’s plenty to admire here. The popular Korean singer-songwriter and actress is most recently seen sporting the CT302, the sportswear brand’s latest court silhouette, in a minimalist cloud colour and a form inspired by classic tennis shoes from the 70s.
The retro-style shoes are, however, exceedingly modern in their approach. Its design is both archival, paying homage to the brand’s heritage and expertise in court silhouettes, while also refreshingly minimalist, ensuring that the sneakers can be paired with all sorts of outfits, in and out of the court.
In fact, the campaign series sees IU just as comfortable in a matching pair of athleisure sweats, as she is rocking a casual, neutral-toned blazer and pants look; the elevated platform style is also conveniently flattering for her frame.
For the full details on the CT302’s versatile silhouette, note that it features an oversized N logo, as well as colour tones from New Balance’s contemporary Shifted category, which consists of lifestyle shoe styles such as the 327 and 57/40.
The midsole is further updated with a trendy higher platform compared to past court models, alongside other design elements including a larger back tab, rounded edges, a larger-scale outsole, and an asymmetrical tip with a higher medial side. Materials-wise, there’s a mix of suede and rubber on the shoe tip, with leather and synthetic leather kept throughout the rest of the look for maximum freshness.
Much like classic tennis shoes, the first launch of the New Balance CT302 comes in a white and muted light blue colourway — with subsequent variations launching further down the road.
Here are more campaign photos we can be inspired by.
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The New Balance CT302, $139. available at the New Balance ONLINE STORE, Paragon, Jewel Changi, Bugis, Limited Edt and Leftfoot, with additional releases throughout 2022.
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