7TH GENERATION: A DETAILED HISTORY OF THE NEW BALANCE 990

Ask a minimalist what their daily driver is and they’ll likely tell you it’s a New Balance 990. No loud branding, no gimmicks, just premium suede and mesh in a grey that speaks to more than 40 years of supremacy. It’s a grey that feels athletic, but also chic. It’s a grey that’s functional, but also texturally rich. It’s a grey that visionaries like Steve Jobs recognise for its understated beauty, that pairs perfectly with a black turtleneck and jeans. Steve preferred a 991 or 992, close relatives of the 990, but abiding by all the same qualities. 

Looking at the present day, it’s worth noting that the whole dad-sneaker movement doesn’t exist without the 990. Every comfort-first, unapologetically practical silhouette that followed owes it a debt. It’s that same blank-slate quality that has made the 99X family the perfect canvas for collaboration, with the likes of mfpen and Aimé Leon Dore, among many others, all putting their own spin on it.

It says a lot that, four decades later, we’re all eagerly awaiting generation seven. Most sneakers are forgotten within a season, but the 990 has been refined, reinterpreted, and anticipated each time it came back. Great design sticks around. With the 990v7 arriving at END., we thought it only right to pay respects. In honour of one of footwear’s most enduring designs, we’re working back through its history, one generation at a time, to see how the v7 came to exist.

990v1 (1982)

The story begins in 1982, after four years of development dedicated to building the best running shoe possible. The result was the 990, and it immediately rewrote the rulebook by becoming the first running shoe to cost $100 in the US. New Balance leaned into the number rather than apologising for it, and in Japan the shoe was advertised as scoring 990 out of 1000 points—New Balance has long been the best marketer in the sneaker world. 

Built in the USA from pigskin suede and mesh, it paired a premium upper with ENCAP midsole technology, which wraps a soft foam core in a firmer rim for support and durability. One of the central anchors at this point was the grey. It was less a trend colourway than a statement of intent, a shoe that didn’t need to shout, and it became the colour that defined a brand. Almost everything we now think of as the 990 formula is here in embryo, and almost all of it carries straight through to the v7: American craftsmanship, suede and mesh, ENCAP cushioning and understated aesthetics.

990v2 (1998)

The fact that New Balance didn’t replace v1 for 16 years is testament to how successful it was. When the v2 arrived in 1998, it kept the formula intact while giving the silhouette a more modern twist, with extra mesh for breathability and the pair of suede stripes on the toe box that have been a 990 signature ever since.

The 990v2 has enjoyed a major resurgence in recent times, as the rise of chunky sneakers and a steady stream of sought-after collaborations pulled it back into the spotlight. Its timing is worth noting too. A few years later, in 2001, Jobs adopted the grey 991 as part of his uniform, helping turn the 99X family into an icon of normcore long before the word had even been coined. You can still see the v2’s DNA in the v7’s panelled suede and mesh upper.

990v3 (2012)

14 years later, the franchise turned 30, and the occasion called for something big. The v3 delivered, with a makeover that marked a leap forward both visually and technically and pointed the 990 in a new direction. While Senior designer Andrew Nyssen has said he tried not to mess with history too much, the v3 arguably takes the most significant aesthetic jump in the shoe’s lineage. 

Like the v2, the v3 has proved a favourite canvas for collaborators, and it set the template for how the 990 has evolved ever since: sharpen the details but respect the original. That philosophy runs through the v7, which updates proportion and construction without ever losing the unmistakable silhouette.

990v4 (2016)

The v4 arrived just four years after the v3, a short gap by 990 standards, and it’s the model that took the shoe fully mainstream. By 2016 the dad sneaker wave was properly building, and the v4 made the 990 a staple for a far wider audience. Its collaborations have been less frequent than the v2 and v3, but they’ve been memorable, none more so than JJJJound’s 2021 version, which gave the shoe a tonal navy makeover and utilitarian toggle laces.

The v4 is a lesson in how to refine a classic without overcomplicating it. That balance between familiarity and progress is exactly what the v7 sets out to achieve, and it’s why the newest generation still feels like a natural next step rather than a reinvention.

990v5 (2019)

Three years on, the v5 gave the sole a slightly more modern look and reworked the panelling of mesh and suede. It’s still regarded by many as the comfiest 990 for all-day wear. The v5 campaign leaned into the franchise’s crossover appeal with the unforgettable line “Worn by supermodels in Milan and dads in Ohio,” a sentiment New Balance has now updated for the v7, with London replacing Milan. The v5’s cleaner lines and focus on everyday comfort both live on in the newest model.

990v6 (2022)

Landing in the 990’s 40th anniversary year, the v6 marked the biggest shift underfoot in the franchise’s modern history, introducing a FuelCell midsole alongside the ENCAP technology the 990 was built on. The result was a considerably more modern aesthetic for a new generation of wearers. The v6 was a clear signal that New Balance was not content to coast on the 990’s legacy. That foundation matters for what comes next. The v7’s cushioning is built directly on the v6’s FuelCell, only softer, which is perhaps the clearest example of how each generation of the 990 quietly sets up the next.

990v7 (2026)

Which brings us to the present day. Guided by a design philosophy New Balance calls “memories from the future,” the v7 balances familiarity and innovation, with subtle updates to proportion, layering, and construction giving the classic a more streamlined look. Crafted in the USA, the upper combines pigskin suede, breathable mesh, refined leather accents and synthetic suede sway bars. Underfoot, the softer FuelCell midsole delivers enhanced cushioning and energy return, while ENCAP technology, the signature CR device and a new TPU midfoot shank provide stability and guidance. Aesthetically, the midsole takes a more vintage-leaning off-white hue to align more closely with earlier iterations of the silhouette.

The result is a more dynamic silhouette that still feels unmistakably like a 990. Across seven generations and more than 40 years, the formula hasn’t changed. The growth of the 990 should be studied by shoe designers the world over because it holds within it a crucial lesson: know what to preserve, and the rest takes care of itself.