New Balance Debuts New XC-72 Silhouette With a Little Help From Casablanca

It’s official: a whole new silhouette of New Balance sneakers is on the way — and what better way to introduce the style than with a collaboration with Casablanca.

Tapping the buzzy French brand for their third collaborative effort, images of the first-ever New Balance XC-72 sneaker surfaced on social media on Friday. The modernized silhouette debuted during Casablanca’s fall ’21 show in Paris this afternoon and the brand’s art director Steve Grimes also shared a closer view of the shoes on his Instagram page as well yesterday.

More from Footwear News

As also confirmed by Casablanca on their Instagram stories last night, the sneaker pulls details from the hit 327 that dropped during the French brand’s fall ’20 show last year. Set atop a blown-out midsole, the silhouette features contrasting overlays of suede mixed with mesh paneling and hits of textured rubber shell cupping the toe. Both brand’s logos are also displayed across the tongue in a recognizable manner from previous collaborations.

The XC-72 comes finished off with a stripe blocking down the front of the design. In Casablanca’s show from this afternoon, the sneaker was shown in a variety of colorways in addition to an all-white colorway, including a bright orange and red iteration as well as a signature green and clementine version.

Following their inaugural collaboration in April 2020, the second versions of the Casablanca x New Balance 327 debuted with two new takes of the sneaker in November 2020. The newer Casablanca x New Balance 327s reimagine the silhouette with two contrasting colorways. The first features perforated white uppers topped off with taupe suede overlays and hits of green across the signature “N” logo and heel counter. The style is finished off with a contrast nude textured outsole.

The other shoe is executed with a black and white palette featuring similar layering with soft gray suede accents and a strong black overlay. The look is completed with a black outsole.

The brand’s 327 silhouette became a hit style in 2020 after it debuted on the French runways with a little help from Casablanca. The first Casablanca x New Balance 327s hit the catwalk for the fall ’20 presentations during Paris Fashion Week, inspired by the dual French and Moroccan heritage of Casablanca’s founder and creative director, Charaf Tajer.

The two inaugural designs featured white, orange and green accents reminiscent of Moroccan oranges and tennis uniforms, while its perforated leather uppers were influenced by white 1970s Italian sports cars. Though they both retailed originally for $150, the green and white style now resells for anywhere from $275 to $999, whereas the orange and green iteration can be found for anywhere from $285 to $2,800 at StockX.com.

“I know the brand works with few fashion houses, so to be chosen to do this with a new silhouette is special and unique for me,” Tajer said in a statement about their first collaboration in February. “The design perfectly matches the aesthetic of Casablanca. It’s the ultimate leisure shoe.”

Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.