On-Foot Images of the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1890 “Finger Waves”

Joe Freshgoods has spent years reworking the New Balance archive, but his latest 1890 project fully shifts the dynamic. Marking the Chicago-based designer’s 12th collaboration with NB, the Let’s Get Weird™ collection isn’t a reinterpretation; it’s a clean-sheet silhouette built to carry JFG’s perspective without relying on borrowed history.

While ‘90s hip-hop and R&B reference points headline the story, the overall design has been filtered through proportion and texture rather than nostalgia-heavy storytelling.

Below, we take an on-foot look at the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1890 “Finger Waves”.

The New Balance 1890’s retro-informed aesthetic does most of the work, featuring the 890v3 upper with a blacked-out ABZORB midsole underfoot. Layering is deliberate in this pair. The bold orange lava effect on the upper and the bright yellow co-branding take the colourway to another level. Meanwhile, the black-and-silver panels on the teardrop-shaped overlays contrast the fiery vibe of the “Finger Waves”.

New Balance has been dining out on archival runners, but the 1890 suggests a longer view. This gives collaborators enough control to build future classics rather than revisiting old ones. Joe Freshgoods moves from interpreter to architect here, with a silhouette that isn’t chasing validation from the past.

In a market crowded with louder, faster releases, the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1890 feels unusually patient. No forced hype, no dependency on legacy. Just a new model with a clear identity, built to last longer than the current cycle.

Dropping alongside the “Naughty Things” colourway and matching apparel, the Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 1890 “Finger Waves” drops Saturday, April 25th, via joefreshgoods.com with a possible release via the NB website.