New Balance Just Gave These Iconic Dad Shoes a Minty Fresh Makeover

Given how fruitful the ongoing collaboration between A Ma Maniére and Nike has been, it’s easy to forget that the Whitaker Group—the James Whitner-led collective that includes AMM, Social Status, Prosper, and other sneaker boutiques across the country—doesn’t exclusively work with the Swoosh. The company has designed colorways for a number of the biggest names in sneakers over the years, and its latest linkup just so happens to be one of the hottest New Balance drops of the summer.

The Whitaker Group and New Balance first connected back in 2023 for the “Missing Pieces” pack, which decked out the chunky New Balance 9060 silhouette in a pair of pastel-forward colorways. The following year, the duo launched a new campaign called “Willful Bias,” featuring two techy editions of the 1906U. Now, NB and Whitaker are continuing the “Willful Bias” line with a further two models—and they’re easily the most covetable kicks to come out of this partnership yet.

In honor of JAIDE, Whitaker Group’s first women’s boutique, the collaborators have jammed on both a 990v4 and a 998—two of the most iconic silhouettes in the New Balance canon. The colorways are, you guessed it, rooted in soft, subtle jade green: the 990v4 complements the shade with a neutral gray, while the 998 surrounds it with a palette of black, gray, and a sort of pre-aged cream on the sole. Both shoes are crafted in the USA from a beautiful hairy suede. New Balance has been on an absolute heater in 2025, and both of these makeups can hold their own with the best of the brand’s releases this year.

The 990v4 and 998 will be available first via raffle through all Whitaker Group retailers—the draw is open now and closes on August 4. A wider release across their retail locations both in person and online on August 8. Both shoes retail for $220.