“THE BEST 5 YEAR RUN EVER.” A bold tagline from Joe Freshgoods to kick off the rollout for his next New Balance project. But when you have the track record to back it up, sometimes you just gotta let ’em know.
After Joe sneakily announced he had another 992 on the way, I kept wondering how he was going to top that first one from 2020. It may not be possible. The DBM 992 “No Emotions Are Emotions” changed the way how many looked at New Balance, especially in Chicago, where Jordan is king.
The “dad shoe” brand made their presence felt during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago by teaming up with the city’s hottest streetwear designer, going toe-to-toe against releases from hometown heroes Virgil Abloh and Kanye West and their bigger brand partners. The city showed out for Joe, with hundreds waiting in line for hours, some overnight, in zero degree weather to cop his first official sneaker collab.
The DBM 992 was just the beginning. Now in its fifth year, the JFG x New Balance partnership has grown tremendously, spanning twenty sneaker collabs across ten different projects over this time frame, and that’s without counting the “Conversations Amongst Us” campaign.
As a celebration of their success, Joe Freshgoods and New Balance are now revisiting their debut project with a new iteration of the 992 dubbed “Aged Well.” The shoe is made to look like an aged version of the “No Emotions Are Emotions” colorway, replacing all of its bright red paneling with faded pink suede overlays. This is paired with a grey mesh base, natural tan leather on the tongues and heels, a pink and white midsole, and a black rubber outsole.
This “Aged Well” colorway may not have the same impact as the “No Emotions Are Emotions” based on the shoe alone, but JFG is a master storyteller, and his visuals and storytelling have only improved in the past five years. This rollout may be Joe’s biggest yet, as the “Aged Well” 992 comes with its own film project, with screenings coming to major cities such as Chicago, NYC, and DC.
The Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 992 “Aged Well” is set to drop February 2025, with releases via the Joe Freshgoods website, newbalance.com, and select global retailers. Check out the official first look images below and stay tuned to Modern Notoriety for updates, as there is still much of this story to be told.
Joe Freshgoods x New Balance 992 “Aged Well”
Color: Rose Smoke/Misty Rose
Style Code: U992JG1
Release Date: February 20, 2025