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COMME des GARÇONS HOMME and New Balance are continuing their long-standing partnership by shining a spotlight on another deep-cut archival runner. Looking to capitalize on the industry’s sustained appetite for mid-2000s tech running aesthetics, the Japanese avant-garde label has officially re-engineered the New Balance 1226, elevating the vintage high-mileage trainer into a rugged, lifestyle-oriented staple tailored for the modern consumer.Hypebeast received a first look at the return of the 1226 silhouette during Paris Fashion Week. The 1226 reveal directly follows New Balance’s highly successful strategy of reviving heritage tech running silhouettes, drawing from the same structural lineage that popularized the 1906 and 860v2. However, this revitalized iteration updates the underfoot tooling by injecting a higher volume of ABZORB SBS cushioning than its archival predecessors, ensuring maximized shock absorption and all-day comfort. Despite the heavy implementation of technical components, modern manufacturing techniques have been leveraged to ensure the hybrid model launches at a relatively accessible lifestyle price point.Visually, the collaborative model shifts away from the sleek, metallic finishes that define New Balance’s inline releases. COMME des GARÇONS HOMME has completely stripped the upper of all digital prints and high-shine silver elements, opting instead for a highly textured, material-first execution. The shoe’s foundation is built around a wide, heavily ventilated open mesh on the vamp and saddle—noticeably larger than the mesh utilized on standard inline variants. This airy base is layered beneath premium nubuck overlays that feature a狼 crafted debossed pattern, emphasizing a more aggressive look that aligns with current outdoor utility trends.Breaking from the traditional “Triple Black” and “Triple White” color stories that have dominated previous joint efforts between the two brands, this season’s delivery embraces an organic, trail-ready earth-tone matrix. The sneaker arrives in a rich “Charcoal / Brown / Khaki” mix, blending deep slate underlays with sandy khaki accents and chocolate brown panels. The collaborative branding footprint remains characteristically subtle, with the iconic COMME des GARÇONS HOMME branding integrated into a custom TPU patch stitched directly onto the tongue.

Junya Watanabe MAN and New Balance are stepping into the footwear archives to revive one of the most obscure design chapters in the running brand’s history: the 574 “Lost Prototype.” Tapping into the global appetite for heritage-inspired, understated footwear, the joint effort injects contemporary luxury into a silhouette that perfectly straddles the line between late-’80s performance DNA and early-’90s lifestyle minimalism.Originally given a limited lifestyle run in 2017, the “Lost Prototype” design is based on a phantom sample discovered deep within New Balance’s archives. Historically, the shoe represents an experimental phase between the release of the M576 in 1988 and the final consumer version of the M574 that dominated the early 1990s. This latest relaunch improves upon its predecessor, using an elevated material package that pairs premium, plush nubuck overlays with breathable open mesh panels across the vamp, tongue, and collar—a classic configuration that honors New Balance’s athletic roots while catering to premium tastes.Architecturally, the Lost Prototype feels more aggressive than a standard inline 574. The silhouette has been re-engineered with a noticeably sleeker, more streamlined toe box and a taller, more pronounced sole unit. For cushioning, the midsole incorporates retro-leaning CCAP technology to offer substantial impact absorption and structural stability. Co-branded details are integrated across the construction, proudly featuring the JUNYA WATANABE MAN stamping prominently on the back tabs and custom woven labels on the tongue.The sneaker, which Hypebeast received an exclusive first look at during Paris Fashion Week, will debut in two highly versatile, neutral colorways designed to anchor a variety of wardrobes. The “Light Grey” option leans on classic brand heritage, combining deep grey nubuck overlays with light, yellow-tinted grey mesh across the underlays and a stark white back tab. The “Brown Beige” iteration takes a warmer, earthy path, layering multiple tonal shades of sandy brown across the upper, offset by a bold, unexpected pop of high-visibility orange along the lateral heel of the midsole.

Name: Nike Air Force 1 Low “What The LA”Colorway: White/Black-Hyper JadeSKU: CT1117-100MSRP: $125 USDRelease Date: Holiday 2026Nike’s Air Force 1 Low “What The LA” is set to return this Holiday season, bringing back a city-themed colorway first released in 2019 alongside its “What The NYC” counterpart.The original concept took the “What The” format in a different direction than its predecessors. Rather than pulling design elements from earlier sneaker releases, Nike built the colorway around Los Angeles sports culture, blending shades and materials tied to several of the city’s biggest teams into one shoe. Purple and gold call back to the Lakers most directly, while blue, red, black and metallic touches gesture toward the Dodgers and the Kings, with the combined palette giving each pair its own distinct identity.Materials and construction carry that multi-team concept through the build. Suede and leather panels mix with glossy overlays, contrast Swooshes and splattered midsoles, layering several textures and finishes across a single upper rather than committing to one. Los Angeles script appears near the heels and across the insoles, anchoring the design back to its city-wide concept without leaning on any official team logos or branding.That restraint is part of what gave the original release its staying power. By referencing basketball, baseball, hockey and the city’s broader streetwear identity all at once, the 2019 “What The LA” read as a tribute to Los Angeles itself rather than a single-team product, a distinction that separated it from more straightforward team-branded sneakers. A return would mark one of the more recognizable entries in Nike’s “What The” series finding its way back into rotation alongside its original NYC counterpart.