New Balance and Stone Island have unveiled their much anticipated football jersey and footwear collaboration, and it’s even better than we could have imagined.
The shirt was initially worn — and teased — by U.K. rap legend Dave during his annual Santan Cup competition in October, although he was only seen wearing the matching shorts and jersey. The formal campaign, though, has just recently begun, and New Balance and Stone Island have chosen Chelsea and England star Raheem Sterling to be the face of it.
It makes sense to use Sterling to introduce the collection; the baller is one of football’s brightest lights, and his ten major trophy accolades in England make him one of the most decorated English players of the current age. But, aside from football, Raheem’s affinity for fashion is on display for all to observe. The winger recently partnered with Clarks on a number of footwear lines, developed his Jamaica-inspired football boots with New Balance, and was named official ambassador and face of the New Balance Football brand in 2021.
The primary draw for the whole New Balance x Stone Island collection is the new Furon V7 boot, which Sterling will unveil on the field. It is the newest version of NB’s most popular football footwear. It has a unique bespoke camouflage design that pays respect to Stone Island’s legendary textile archives, as well as the traditional NB logo with Stone Island’s signature compass mark. The boot also has a Hypoknit top with a mesh inner and offset lacing for enhanced striking support.
Along with the boots, the collection comprises a whole uniform made of 100% polyester and featuring a unique Stone Island camouflage design as well as accompanying shorts with the Compass brand silicone badge. The black socks complete the design by providing a clean and harmonious aesthetic that ties in the quantity of camo found throughout the rest of the uniform.
The whole New Balance x Stone Island collaboration can be seen above, and the collection will be available for pre-order on the official Stone Island website on November 21 and will be available for public release on the official New Balance website and select shops on November 25.
