First Year Released: 2012
Where to Buy It: StockX
The 990v3 isn’t quite New Balance’s equivalent of the ubiquitous Nike Air Force 1 (that distinction would go to the 574, a model found in nearly every shoe store in America, instead), but it’s close. Originally released in 2012 to mark the 990’s 20th anniversary, the 990v3 marked a distinct shift in the 990 series that continues to inspire its look to this day with the newest iteration, the 990v6.
The 990v3 was created by Andrew Nyssen, a designer who began with New Balance in 2003 and has been working in the performance running category since 2010. In 2012, he created just that: a modern runner meant for logging miles, not getting fits off. But in a short time, the 990v3 grew into something bigger in large part to its embrace by communities in D.C. and Maryland. There, the shoe’s staple grey colorway was worn completely the opposite way Nyssen had intended. Rather than tightening the laces for lockdown, they were worn loosely — often untied altogether and left to dangle at the uppermost eyelet. Instead of running shorts, the 990v3 was worn with jeans and Helly Hansen jackets, co-opted for lounging over sweating.
In 2016, New Balance would move on to the strikingly similar 990v4, but the v3’s mark had been made. Not only did the new 990v4 look a lot like its predecessor, but it also kept many of the same components, including an Encap midsole and pigskin suede uppers. The look continued to evolve on 2019’s 990v5, which stuck with the v3’s overall shape and build but made a few modernized adjustments. Traits of the original v3 can even be seen on the newest version, the 990v6, which debuted in late 2022 and is continuing to roll out now.
While the grey, black, and navy New Balance 990v3 colorways will always be staples, the sneaker has seen its share of sought-after collaborations and limited releases including projects with Joe Freshgoods, JJJJound, Kith, and Stray Rats. —Riley Jones
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