Despite being just a few months old, the hefty retro-inspired shoe is already one of the designer label’s signature styles, and it has now arrived in a beautiful “Black/White” hue.
The Runner, in keeping with Demna Gvasalia’s aesthetic, has a complex design comprised of various overlapping panels made from leather-esque materials, mesh, and multiple distressed components that come together for a design reminiscent of running sneakers from the ’90s, as if they’ve been worn regularly over the last 30 years.
Stitching is mildly torn, there are puddles of glue all around, and distressing has been done to the sole to give the shoes a worn-in, dirty look, while sizing on the toe is in a Tippex style for yet another tribute to DIY distressing. These casual details are offset with lashings of Balenciaga branding on the tongue, vamp, and heel, where additional sizing can be seen alongside a rope lace hooped heel tab.
The “RUNNER” logo that has been embossed onto the multi-piece sole unit completes the look. Balenciaga’s Runner in “Black/White” is shown above and is available now for $1,150 USD at Balenciaga shops and online.
If you thought this sneaker was pricey, consider this rare Nike SB Dunk Low, which went for more than $130,000.