Do Hee Kim’s XLIM x New Balance 509 Collection Releases February 2025

Published February 12, 2025

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That seems to be the mantra coming from New Balance, as the Boston-based footwear brand has continued to find success in reviving archival designs. While the market has been inundated with New Balance 1000s, 740s, and, of course, 1906Rs and 2002Rs, there’s another pair that so far has been limited to the Asian market — the New Balance 509. Following a small launch of two colorways that Korean designer Do Hee Kim, founder of the brand XLIM, helped market, his label has now officially been given a collaboration on the archival sneaker.

Kim received the green light to work on two different pairs of the 509, each featuring a premium upgrade to the materials and the color palette. One pair takes on a vibrant red finish accented by vintage cream and tan, while the second version opts for a stealthy black and grey look. Hairy suede panels line the mudguard, midfoot panels, eyestays, and collar, while a diamond-shaped mesh base provides textural contrast and breathability.

N logos on the lateral midfoot of the Red pair take on a vintage cream, almost tan look, matching the 509 embroidered logo on the collar and the lace set. Below, the colorway is finished with an aged cream foam midsole, with the tooling setup directly borrowed from the New Balance 530. For the Black pair, we see the same material makeup with various black and dark grey hues applied to the upper and a worn-in, aged look on the midsole.

The XLIM x New Balance 509 Pack will release on February 21, 2025, through XLIM online. However, pairs have already hit select overseas New Balance sites, but expect the pack to remain exclusive to the Asia-Pacific region. An early release will also occur at a pop-up in Seoul on February 15. Download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.