New Balance announces today that Teddy Santis, founder and creative director of Aimé Leon Dore, will join the brand as Creative Director of New Balance MADE in USA. The two will join together and kick off a multi-year partnership, with the first product launching next year.

Teddy Santis and Aimé Leon Dore have had a working relationship with New Balance for over two years now, dropping their first collab in 2019, the ALD x NB 997. The two have since connected on a handful of projects over the years, including the recently-unveiled ALD x NB 550 SS21 collection.

As Creative Director of MADE in USA, the first of its kind role for New Balance, Teddy Santis is tasked to elevate the MADE platform on a global scale through product design and marketing.

“I was drawn to New Balance for the way it has built a business founded on values such as integrity and authenticity, rather than passing hype,” says Santis. “I see a tremendous opportunity to tell authentic stories with real people at the forefront, creating global campaigns that connect our core values with the world.”

New Balance’s alignment with Teddy Santis is indicative of its desire to work with nontraditional and independent thinkers and creators, a trend that has differentiated the brand from others in the industry.

“We are delighted to announce Teddy Santis as Creative Director of our MADE in USA franchise collection and together, define the future chapters of New Balance’s rich heritage in craftsmanship,” says Chris Davis, Chief Marketing Office at New Balance. “MADE in USA is New Balance’s ultimate differentiator and the lifeblood of our brand’s authenticity in global style; it is most literally, the physical manifestation of what makes our brand unique. In collaborating with Teddy’s inspirational vision, we have the opportunity to transcend the norms of the athletic industry and elevate the next generation of premium global product.”

Teddy Santis’ first collection with New Balance as MADE in USA Creative Director will launch in 2022.