When it comes to retailer-footwear company partnerships, there aren’t many in the athletic space that can compare with that of J. Crew and New Balance. Since 2010, the two brands have produced dozens of exclusive styles, resulting in a number of coveted collaborations and colorways you can’t find anywhere else.
For their latest endeavor, they’ve brought another entity into the fold as they partner with the National Parks Service for two American-made New Balance 998 styles inspired by Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park and Death Valley National Park, which spans California and Nevada.
The “Crater Lake” 998 adopts icy blue tones ranging from navy to teal in a soft pigskin suede upper with mesh ventilation and white accents. Meanwhile, the earthy “Death Valley” iteration blends brown suede and mustardlike tan details for a look that blends right into its desert inspiration.
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But rather than simply use the landmark locations for color inspiration, J. Crew and New Balance have gone a step further, calling upon photographers Bryan Daugherty and Caleb Diaz to shoot the sneakers on location in Crater Lake and Death Valley, respectively. And that’s not all: they have also pledged to donate $10 of each shoe sale to the National Parks Foundation.
The J. Crew x New Balance 998 National Parks collection launches tomorrow from J. Crew’s e-commerce site and select J. Crew locations for $180 each.
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