In an unexpected yet intriguing venture, New Balance, primarily known for its athletic and street-style footwear, is entering the world of fragrances with a unique twist. They have captured the essence of their most popular sneakers in two limited-edition fragrances, aptly named Original and Court.
FRAGRANCE
Typically, fragrances are categorized into four primary groups: woody, floral, amber, and fresh, drawing inspiration from natural elements like roses, tobacco plants, and vanilla. However, New Balance has taken a different route, choosing to base their fragrances on the distinct aromas of their sneakers.
The new fragrance line, Distilled, consists of two scents: Original and Court. Original is a tribute to New Balance’s classic sneakers, embodying the essence of leather, suede, rubber, cotton socks, and freshly mowed grass. It features notes made from bergamot mint, a leather accord, and tobacco absolute.
Court, on the other hand, celebrates the original performance basketball shoe reminiscent of the 1970s era. It has notes of leather suede, basketball rubber, and hardwood floor, developed from juniper berry wild tyrol essential oil, leather accord, Australian sandalwood, patchouli, and Australian White Cypress.
Crafted entirely from natural ingredients, these fragrances were developed in collaboration with Australian-based fragrance expert Samantha Copland, founder of Perfume Playground. “They can be sprayed on shoes to keep them fresh, but also smell beautiful when worn on the skin,” says Copland. The scents are designed to be versatile, ensuring a complex sensory experience with dominant notes of leather and hardwood.
The launch of these fragrances coincides with the opening of New Balance’s first Grey Store concept store in the southern hemisphere, located in the Galeries in Sydney, set to open on December 19. This store, one of only 20 globally, will also offer exclusive UK and US limited drops.
Currently, the fragrances are available exclusively to the first 100 customers at the New Balance Grey Store. Sneaker enthusiasts and fragrance lovers alike have a unique opportunity to experience these novel scents, a celebration of the iconic brand’s foray into the world of perfumery.
As New Balance ventures into the realm of fragrances, it bridges the gap between athletic apparel and the sensory world, offering a novel experience for both sneakerheads and fragrance aficionados.
