Sashiko Gals and New Balance team up to launch Extreme Limited

You may have seen Sashiko Gals’ incredible hand-stitched sneakers online. The Japanese collective’s designs feature unique textures and raw art, applying traditional artistry with indigo-dyed patches and multi-colored stitching. Finger Sewn into modern footwear. The group, based in Otsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, is made up of women aged between 40 and 80; it originally started as a recovery plan after the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

Worn by numerous artists, fashion insiders, and influencers around the world (including Apple CEO Tim Cook), Sashiko Gals’ items breathe new life into worn shoes through hours of custom sashiko sewing. Among other brands of shoes, New Balance sneakers often serve as an evocative canvas for girls’ designs.

Now, New Balance Japan and Sashiko Gals have officially joined forces for an exciting official collaboration titled “Crafted for the Future.” The special collection includes limited-edition, hand-stitched versions of New Balance’s iconic 1300JP sneakers, as well as a hand-stitched varsity jacket featuring Gals’ beautiful embroidered graphics.

Want to know more about Sashiko Gals? You can read our feature on the collective here.

sashiko gals and long-time collaborator Arata Fujiwara

New Balance x Sashiko Gals: Built for the future

For this special project, Sashiko Gals customized New Balance’s legendary Made in USA 1300JP model, as well as an iconic varsity jacket inspired by America’s sporting heritage. The limited release includes two pairs for 1300JP (363,000 yen each) and four jackets (990,000 yen each). These items are currently for sale through a charity raffle, only at New Balance Harajuku.

Although expensive, the project is significant. All proceeds will be donated to Moonshot Inc., the company behind the Sashiko Gals brand Kuon, to support a program dedicated to ensuring the future of sashiko craftsmanship, including funding the development of sashiko artists, providing a platform to showcase their work, training new craftsmen, and launching the Sashiko World Championships for long-term cultural preservation.

The details on the sneakers and jackets are stunning and intricate; nearly the entire surface of each 1300JP piece is covered in handmade fabric patches, stitched with a beautiful combination of white, orange and indigo threads.

Often worn by New Balance athletes and ambassadors, the New Balance Made in America Premium Varsity Jacket features a patchwork of unique graphics and zigzag orange trails.

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