At this stage, it’s less a subjective opinion and more an objective truth that New Balance is at the fore of the formalwear meets sportstyle movement. The New Balance 1906 Loafer has risen to become the face of the aesthetic, but even amid that silhouette’s success, the creators in Boston keep pushing forward outside of it, testing the boundaries of how far their stable of runners can take to more refined applications. Given the “love it or hate it” reactions that their previous efforts have already elicited, we’re sure it’ll be the same as a new contender enters the mix: the New Balance 1890.
Whether intentional or not, our initial glimpse at this model catches it in a do-up bound to make a strong first impression, forcing together pale yellow and faux snakeskin leather, the latter weaving across the profile with branching curvilinear overlays. Though the apron this shoe cops is obviously a hallmark of any loafer footwear, comparisons to the Clarks Wallabe in overall shape are already rampant. Helping set their contribution apart from that iconic silhouette, the collar dips towards the heel, further tacking on signal-like embossing just below.
While the 1906R sole unit (started by the 860v2 and also utilized on the 2002R) has become the platform for many an offshoot in the years since, New Balance digs deeper into their history for the bottom quartile of this shoe. Indeed, 1906 is still relevant in this discussion, but its the original 2009 Nergy formulation that appears here. Intriguingly, the chief cushioning tech is swapped out, maintaining the layered contours and overall shape but instead switching into ABZORB, a spotlighted invention already for NB via the 2000 and 2010.
First looks at the model come partly by way of Lee Stuart, Senior Marketing Manager for the Boston brand. That tacit co-sign likely means that we’ll see the 1890 hit the scene sometime in the coming months; given the ongoing Paris Fashion Week festivities, that’ll likely be in Spring/Summer 2026 at the latest.
