An Insanely Great Shoe

The New Balance 992. A shoe that became iconic because of the icon that wore them. Steve Jobs. I have been obsessing over this shoe for years. Often referred to as simply a "dad" shoe, many people don't understand the historical and cultural relevance that this model carries. It's truly the "if you know, you know" shoe. And if you don't know, worry not, that's why you are here. I am here to help you understand the importance of this rare and insanely great shoe.

But first, some context. The New Balance 990 was introduced in 1982. The shoe was an innovative breakthrough and represented a substantial technological advancement for running shoes. It was also the first shoe in history with a $100 price tag. Shocking at the time. New Balance later expanded the 990 line when it introduced the 991 in 2001. The 991 quickly became a staple of Steve Jobs' signature uniform – blue jeans, black turtleneck and grey New Balance 991. Jobs can be seen throughout the early 2000s wearing the shoe on stage as he introduced new products like the iPod, iPad, and the iPhone.

Fast forward to 2006. New Balance was set to celebrate its 100th anniversary and needed a special product to mark the occasion. It bet big on the latest addition to the 990 line, the new 992 model. There was a lot of pressure to get the shoe right. In fact, legend has it that longtime fan of the brand, Steve Jobs was made aware of the new 992 and played a key role in shaping its design. The story (if not myth) is that New Balance chairman, Jim Davis, asked Steve Jobs for design insight and that Jobs actually sent Davis a personal letter with a sketch of what he desired in the shoe. Although New Balance denies any collaboration, they do admit that Jobs might have had final approval on the design before it was taken to market.

New Balance made just over a million pairs of the 992 before the model was discontinued in 2010. Part of its allure is both its lack of availability and its historical connection to Jobs. Since his passing, Jobs has become a sort of fashion icon and his daily uniform has been the focus of countless moodboards. For many, the Apple brand signals an elevated sense of design and taste – Jobs speculative involvement in the design of the 992 and his daily wear of the shoe represents the ultimate endorsement. 

New Balance re-released the shoe in 2020. Apple zealots (like me) went crazy. The shoe sold out instantly. It quickly became the official shoe of the creative community. Brands and designers rushed to capitalize, with collaborative versions of the shoe going for up to $800+. 

After talking about the shoe for months, Steph surprised me with a pair for Christmas. It felt like I was getting my first pair of Jordans. Now, much older and substantially less athletic, I have stopped trying to be like Mike and started trying to be more like Steve. I may never fundamentally change the way people interact with technology or give the world Toy Story... but I wasn't ever going to be able to dunk either. Regardless, Nike convinced me at a young age that the secret to anyone's success... is... well... it's gotta be the shoes.