New Balance 991v1 ‘White Croc’ Release Date M991CR1 W991CR1

Nike isn’t the only athletic footwear brand rolling out white croc sneakers for spring and summer, as New Balance has readied a reptilian rendition of one of its longest-running lifestyle shoes.

The New Balance Made in UK 991v1 in Oyster Gray/Pistachio Shell/French Oak is set to be released Thursday.

The mix of soft tones results in a creamy off-white that covers the entirety of the upper and midsole. It’s built with a premium vegetable-tanned leather, but New Balance’s Flimby factory didn’t stop there, as the luxe leather has also been given a debossed crocodile skin texture pattern. The croc material fills in nearly every panel of the upper, save for some touches of synthetic overlays. 

The New Balance 991 was first released in 2001 and is among the brand’s most revered models. While it’s been a staple of the sportswear company’s made-in-England releases for quite some time, it hasn’t always been the case. The 991 has been produced in the USA in some instances, including batches of the original ’01 iteration. And though it was originally a performance running shoe, the retro model has since been embraced as an everyday lifestyle sneaker.

Although it arrives in the shadow of recent white croc Nike Air Force 1 and Air Max 90 colorways, New Balance is no newcomer to the crocodile scene. In January, the Boston-based brand rolled out a new lifestyle sneaker known as the Gator Run, which was inspired by one of the brand’s rugged turf shoes from 1982. For the launch, New Balance draped the low-profile look in two patent leather croc-print colorways.

The New Balance Made in UK 991 White Croc sneaker will be released Thursday from newbalance.com and select New Balance retailers for $270. The pair will be available in both men’s (style code M991CR1) and women’s (style code W991CR1) sizing.