Matt Varga Matcha drinkers and tote bag wearers have quickly emerged in the past few weeks as the internet’s punching bag. The archetype, replete with performative “oops my” feminist literature, is now shortcode among the terminally online, including Grammy nominee Amine. The Portland rapper’s irreverent sense of humor and finger on the pulse of internet culture now seemingly inspires his latest link-up with the Boston brand, the Concepts x New Balance 997 'Luxury Goods'.
After “Matcha” tones ran rampant through the footwear industry in more earnest applications (see the JD Sports GEL-Sekiran or the Danielle Cathari New Balance 991v2), the green tea powder now soaks the Concepts x New Balance 997 'Luxury Goods' as more ironic inspo. Though in the social teaser you can’t make out the full shoe, it appears that the bouncy silhouette gets an all-over dose of that viridescent shade — the underfoot cushioning is a dead giveaway as to which model is in focus here, as well. Though the recent social media frenzy makes for a zeitgeist-y way to connect to this collection’s aesthetic, note that this neon green was already a favored Amine shade; his New Balance 610S capsule contained a version with similar hues, and his Limbo album cycle made heavy use of it as well.
The activation portion of this shoe’s rollout is already active, with a book drive operation running from now until September 10th in Oregon. Concrete details on when to expect the actual sneaker are harder to come by. We’ll keep this page updated with any updates on the Amine New Balance ABZORB 2000 as soon as they surface.
