Bespoke, not boutique: How New Balance is breaking sportswear's oligopoly

Boston, MA - February 13: The Sports Research Lab at the New Balance Track on February 13, 2026. (Photo by Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images).

This summer, FourFourTwo spent time at the Boston headquarters of American footwear and sporting apparel giant New Balance.

When you think of New Balance, your mind likely conjures an image of stylish trainers - a sight becoming increasingly ubiquitous across the United Kingdom. But as FFT discovered, the brand is about so much more than snazzy footwear.