New Balance and Storm Reid are taking their partnership to the next level with the debut of a new collaborative sneaker.
The actress, who was just nominated for an Emmy for her work on the HBO series “The Last of Us,” has been a New Balance brand ambassador since October 2021 and has starred in numerous campaigns for the athletic brand. Now, the “Euphoria” star is launching her first signature sneaker with the brand, the New Balance x Storm Reid CT302 on Aug. 4.
Reid, who is an avid sneaker fan, told FN in an exclusive interview that the process of creating her first shoe with New Balance has been “surreal” and feels “blessed” to be a part of the company’s family.
“I’ve always loved sneakers,” Reid admitted while on a Zoom call from Turks & Caicos a day before her 20th birthday. “Actually, my ultimate dream was to design my own sneaker one day. But I had no idea this would happen so soon. I thought this would come later down the line. But I’m very grateful and excited about this opportunity.”
The unisex sneaker, which will launch exclusively in North America for $100, features uppers made with nylon underlays and suede overlays, a rubber outsole and custom Storm Reid branded tongue label, sockliner and lace aglets.
A surprise “1720” is also hidden “somewhere” on the shoe, a personal element that nods to her faith, which Reid noted she wants fans to find on their own. Her favorite shade of blue is also featured on the model via the “N” logo on the side of the upper as well as the tongue label.
When designing the shoe, the “Missing” star said she was inspired by her hometown of Atlanta, Ga., and the fashion that was popular there in the early 2000s. “I really wanted the shoe to represent me,” Reid said. “I wanted it to serve as an ode to my hometown of Atlanta, my faith and just who I am as a person. You know, the main things that make up Storm. I think we did that successfully in the end.”
Jordan Johnson, product manager of collaborations and energy at New Balance, agreed. “Storm is an extremely creative individual who had a hand in every step of the creation process, including storytelling, color, materials and graphics,” Johnson told FN. “At the same time, [she was] open to our concepts and proposals. She knew what felt authentic to her and only wanted her fans to receive her story through the product.”
Asked why they landed on the CT302 model for this collaboration, Johnson said that court shoes “ruled” the early 2000s. “Storm being born in Atlanta in the early 2000s led us to take inspiration from the fashion at the time – an iconic fashion era that had incredible influence on the rest of the world.”
The early 2000s influence can also be seen in the new shoe’s campaign, where Reid referenced many iconic items of the polarizing fashion era. “The baggy jeans, the earrings, the accessories, I wanted to be sure to pull those elements in to really give the vibe,” Reid said.
Shot in Atlanta, Reid enlisted her family and friends to join her in the campaign. “My two older sisters and my older brother as well as friends from college and my younger cousin joined me on set to shoot the campaign,” Reid said. “I wanted this launch to feel as authentic to me as possible, so it would be strange for me to hire a cast of random people when I have my very supportive family that’s always down to be a part of anything that I do. I’m really happy that they were a part of it.”
“They were serving on set that day,” Reid jokingly added. “They were all trying to get their modeling contracts.”
Looking ahead, Reid is moving full steam ahead on her acting career, with “The Nun II” slated to drop in September. “I can’t wait for people to see it,” Reid told FN weeks before the SAG-AFTRA strike took hold of the movie industry earlier this month. “It’s going to be a fun ride.”
As for the future of her sneaker designer career, there are no “official” plans for a follow-up release. But when asked if she would team up with New Balance on another sneaker, Reid said without hesitation, “Oh, absolutely. One hundred times over.”
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