2025 is just days away, and in the lead-up to the new year, brands from across the footwear industry have prepped collections that honor the Lunar New Year. While some labels focus on the Chinese zodiac of the year (2025 being the Year of the Snake), New Balance typically keeps things tame for the celebrations. It focuses on clean color palettes and premium materials, with the trend dominating NB’s Lunar New Year collection for the new year.
Typically, New Balance’s choice of silhouettes for the Lunar New Year collection is a clear indication of what will be the focus of the year, as seen last year with 2023 featuring the 9060, 2002R, and 550, while 2024 saw the inclusion of the 1906U and WRPD Runner. 2025’s celebration includes five different sneakers: two colorways of the futuristic WRPD Runner, one New Balance 1000, one 1906R, and one 740.
Across the five pairs, New Balance keeps the color palette neutral, with greys, creams, and blacks present. Two sneakers, the 1906R and 1000, come with a gradient upper. The 1000 has a primarily black leather and mesh build that transitions into a light black, dark grey shade on the mesh near the heel. On the 1906R, the light and dark grey hues transition from the mesh near the toe to the heel.
For the two WRPD Runner colors, New Balance preps one with a new material makeup, adding tumbled leather to the base on the cream colorway and adding over-stitching details near the heel’s panel. On the other pair, the traditional mesh and suede construction is present in greyscale, applying a gradient pattern to the N logo on the midfoot. Finally, the recently revived New Balance 740 comes in a creamy tan color palette, sticking to the mesh runner’s typical construction of mesh and synthetic leather.
The New Balance Lunar New Year 2025 Collection will release in the early parts of 2025 through New Balance and select retailers online and in-store. Right now, New Balance Japan has the collection listed to launch on New Year’s Day, though no solid US release date has emerged as of this writing. Check below for images of the full collection, and download the Sole Retriever mobile app to stay updated on the latest releases, raffles, news, and more in the sneaker and streetwear world.
New Balance 1906R Lunar New Year (2025)
Images via New Balance
New Balance 740 Lunar New Year
Images via New Balance
New Balance 1000 Lunar New Year
Images via New Balance
New Balance WRPD Runner Lunar New Year Cream
Images via New Balance
New Balance WRPD Runner Lunar New Year Grey
Images via New Balance
In this article
Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
