“The closest thing yet to the perfect running shoe” – New Balance 

A modern-day incarnation with New Balance history in abundance, the 1500 ‘Made in UK’ returns to our shelves to commemorate 35 years since its initial 1989 inception. We’ll dissect the silhouette shortly, but first, a brief look at the process behind the brand’s ‘Made in UK’ collections.

Located on the western Cumbria coastline, Flimby has been the breeding ground for the brand’s famed ‘Made’ series since 1982. The line is renowned for its focus on using quality sourced materials, hand-crafted by 200+ skilled and dedicated craftspeople, who together manufacture some of the most high-calibre trainers all by hand – no mean feat.

The 1500 was produced as part of New Balance’s flagship running shoe series during the ‘80s running boom, following the already popular 1300 and 1400 silhouettes. Taking a total of 3 years to design, the groundbreaking silhouette was born out of a collaborative design process with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, aka MIT. A new acceleration pad in the midsole’s forefoot was combined with an ENCAP sole in the heel to create a superior performance experience. Talk about technological advancement. 

The pair made headlines at the time. It was the first running shoe to break the $150 price barrier plus it was a fan favourite thanks to its butter-soft suede uppers and supple ‘N’ logo branding – sitting smaller than any used on previous silhouettes.

So to continue the legacy of one of the brand’s most enduring and iconic classic runners, this anniversary edition comes reissued with subtle updates that take inspiration from early 1500 styles. 

Crafted with premium grey nubuck from specialist European vendors, the pair utilise a mesh base to provide breathable comfort with every wear. Insoles and box wrapping are decorated with heritage 1500 series graphics that hark to the model’s original marketing materials as well as a celebratory ‘35 Years of Excellence’ typographic. 

Below, the brand’s retooled ENCAP midsole delivers premium cushioning and powerful support, while a rubber outsole ensures multi-surface traction on testing terrain. Fine-tuning the design is the updated ‘shadow’ N logo modernising the sidewalls, compared to the classic tipping and foxing era of the 1980s. Meticulous attention to detail, as always. 

The New Balance 1500 Made in UK is available at size? now.