Coco Gauff has a new signature shoe with New Balance.
The athletic powerhouse revealed a new look for Gauff on Tuesday, the Coco CG2, which will arrive at retail this week in the launch “Power and Grace” colorway.
“I had as much fun designing and collaborating on the Coco CG2 as I did with the Coco CG1,” Gauff said in a statement. “My relationship with the New Balance team is incredible, and I’m excited to see what people think of the evolution of this shoe.”
The Coco CG2, according to New Balance, “evolves and refines the court-ready performance and the distinctive features of the tennis phenom’s debut signature shoe.”
The Coco CG2 was designed with Gauff’s favorite off-court shoe, the 550, by changing the basketball on the woven tongue label for a tennis ball. Also, there is diamond knit mesh on the shoe’s collar, heel and tongue, and a triangular-patterned Ndure toe cap that New Balance explained adds stability and flexibility and serves as a nod “to the architecture in her favorite city, Paris.” And suede overlays on the saddle, according to the brand, “allow for a fashion-forward style transcending beyond sport for wear on and off the court.”
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In terms of tech, New Balance added its responsive Energy Arc technology to the shoe, as well as multidensity FuelCell midsoles and carbon fiber plates (the latter can be seen via window details at the lateral heel and on the Ndurance outsoles). With this tech, New Balance stated it made a shoe “for the elite tennis athlete who makes explosive moves on the court.”
Other personal details include “power” on the back of the left shoe woven label, “grace” on the right and “CG” on the pivot point. As for the colors used, New Balance said it pairs two “explosive colors” — oxidized blue and firefly — for a “fun twist inspired by the Statue of Liberty and the glowing lights” of New York City. There is also a trophy on the back of the shoe, a nod to her return to the Big Apple to defend her 2023 US Open title.
“There is no shoe in tennis quite like the Coco CG2, just like there is no athlete quite like Coco Gauff. We’re so proud of what Coco has done for the game of tennis on and off the court and how she continues to fit perfectly into the New Balance family,” New Balance head of tennis sports marketing Evan Zeder said in a statement. “We are so excited to continue to support her journey as both a person and an athlete.”
The New Balance Coco CG2 “Power and Grace” colorway arrives Aug. 21 via Newbalance.com and retail for $170. Also, New Balance stated New York City consumers can visit the Coco’s Court pop-up event on Aug. 23-24 “for an immersive experience inspired by Coco’s favorite things and shop a pop-up exclusive colorway.”
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
