As part of the ‘Made in USA’ collection, sneaker boutique and lifestyle brand Concepts and Boston-based New Balance collaborate for the release of the limited edition Concepts x New Balance 998 “Grand Tourer” model, their final collaboration of 2015. The New Balance 998 sneakers have been around for a while, first introduced in 1993.
These Grand Tourer 998 limited editions are inspired by the rich culture of prestigious auto races, in particular, taking inspiration from a grand tourer, a performance and luxury automobile capable of endurance racing, high speeds, and long-distance driving. These cars were built not only for function but also for style, with the intent of being able to travel distances in comfort.
The Concepts x New Balance 998 “Grand Tourer” evokes these automobiles with a full premium pig suede upper with perforated suede details on the vamp and a leather ‘N’ logo with reflective underlay. A color palette of grey, off-white, sea green, and red is taken from European road maps, race stickers, and flags as well as premium car interiors. Other details paying homage to automobiles include a carbon fiber print on the CR device. The style includes a Concept-branded footbed.
These shoes launched exclusively on Saturday, December 26, at Concepts in Cambridge, MA, Concepts in New York City, and online at www.cncpts.com with a retail price of $215.00. The limited edition collaboration was available for in-store purchase as of December 26. Electronic sales went live on the Concepts website at 12:00pm EST on December 26 and included complimentary domestic shipping. So, if you’re interested and they’re still available, head to their site. Now.
