New Balance 860 V2 'Milky Way' Pack

22 Feb 2024, 14:00

Taking something that has been around for decades and reinterpreting it is no new concept- but it takes the rare few to do so masterfully. Whether it be creating a new event, talking about subjects you’re passionate about in a new way or re-looking at the way we interact with food- transformation of already established concepts is what keeps our world going around and is what runs our streets. In the sneaker realm, New Balance is definitely leading the way when it comes to reinventing their OG silhouettes and technology to create something that feel familiar, but in a completely new and fresh way- the New balance 860v2 is the definition of just that.

While the sneaker looks to New Balance heritage with its origins in sporting and now in the “dad shoe” trend, the 860v2 released in 2011 as the second iteration of a new NB running collection. As the collection grew over time to the 860v13 now, the 860v2 hid in the shadows for a bit before really making its way back to the streets through their ongoing Aimé Leon Dore collab.

After a 13 year hiatus, 2024 brings us three new 860v2 colourways. All the shoes feature a grayscale palette, letting reflective overlays and the intricacies of the silhouette take center-stage. A splash of colour makes its way onto two pairs, appearing in violet on one and arctic grey on the other, while the third pair adopts a different look with all-silver overlays and a white base.

To celebrate this New Balance drop, exclusively at Shelflife, we looked to three pioneers of the culture and within their own fields, who have taken something that we know and love and given them a completely new meaning- just like the 860v2. We put a pair of the sneakers on Mokgethwa Machaka from The Sobering Podcast, Léa Debbah from Hearty Collective and Jes Doveton from Acid Bar, and looked at the way they have used their love and knowledge for art, culture, community, music, fashion and the spaces we occupy to create something truly powerful.

LÉA DEBBAH (HEARTY COLLECTIVE)

We’ve all heard of Hearty Collective as a vibrant home for art, expression and culture. The impact it’s had on the Cape Town scene is unparalleled, hosting everything from thrift markets, installations, live-art spaces and even Boiler Room, all in this once-blank warehouse in Woodstock. All events that take place at Hearty are run through Edition Events which was founded by Léa during the heart of the pandemic.

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Edition Events is an independent Cape Town based events company driven by, and created largely for, the Cape Town creative community. Edition Events started as a small passion project in 2020, aiming to provide a platform for artists (of all forms) to showcase their work in a unique and engaging setting. The goal was simple- give local creatives from all walks of life a never-before-seen opportunity, in settings that cultivated growth and creativity.

To connect artists, audiences and creatives in a meaningful way, Edition Events developed heavily tailored events to cater to specific demographics, while still ensuring that these functions maintained accessibility for the greater population. Events were built to be centred around art in ways that focused on (art) being experienced rather than merely observed.

Léa is a visionary in terms of understanding the way that the worlds of art, fashion and music, all intersect in the streets of Cape Town and with the people within them. Especially with her project starting at a time when few others were willing to push the boundary in terms of what an event was, is and will grow to be, Hearty truly brings all these facets of culture to life.

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MOKGETHWA MACHAKA (THE SOBERING PODCAST)

Mokgethwa Machaka is a triple threat in the South African scene, being a copywriter by day, running an events company by night, and being a renowned podcasted in between it all. His insight into street culture which intersects sneakers and hip hop, makes him the perfect party-thrower through his business Company Culture and the perfect co-host for the Sobering Podcast.

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The Sobering podcast started nearly one decade ago, in 2015, and is dubbed “the most authentically South African hip-hop podcast on the internet today.” The show, hosted by Mokgethwa Machaka, Kabelo Moremi aka Lil Frat, and Kitso Moremi, began all through their love for hip-hop and all that it encompasses. Mokgethwa had been having a conversation about South African hip-hop with Kabelo who then said, “why isn’t South African media covering local hip-hop like this?”, and so the podcast was born. Its primary focus is on local hip-hop, which aims to document the current culture thoroughly and also help bring raw talent to a wider audience. The trio prides itself on being the bridge between a niche audience and a more mainstream one by bringing different types of guests onto the show.

Mokgethwa first fell in love with New Balance from the movie Belly (the last shoes Mark wore before he was killed) and so his first pair was, of course, a timeless heritage silhouette, the 574 'Backpack Edition.’ Mokgethwa truly embodies the idea mentioned by his co-host Kabelo, that “sneakers are part of streetwear and street fashion. Hip-hop narrates and is the soundtrack for street culture. They go hand in hand.”

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JES DOVETON (ACID BAR)

The soul of Joburg’s new Acid Food & Wine bar comes from the owners: chef Jes Doveton and sommelier Jemma Styer. Apart from it being “not your typical restaurant” with its unconventional approach to fine dining and wine, what makes the spot even more special is that it’s women-owned in an industry that’s still predominantly male-led. Jemma explained to Eat Out, "we’re making it a safe space… for anyone who identifies as female or otherwise who doesn’t often have a safe space to work in, specifically in our industry. But it is for the customers to be comfortable as well, where they enjoy themselves without thinking hard about it.”

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Jes’s understanding of the food industry as well as the going-out scene of South Africa, all came together to offer a space which celebrates the current scene, women and the diverse heritage of South Africa, with her having Thai heritage. It all started with a burning desire to break free from the monotony of the same old restaurants and offer something new and exciting.

Acid's uniquely curated menu which changes weekly, features a selection of natural, minimal intervention wines from independent producers who don’t usually get listed or are hard to find. With a focus on female and BIPOC producers, the wine menu is as diverse as it is delicious. Acid's food menu is just as ever-changing, reflecting the intention behind the wine. The menu features global cuisine inspired by traditional local and global recipes, with a particular emphasis on Southeast Asian flavours.

At Acid, every detail is thoughtfully considered, from the weekly bar takeovers to hosting Yoon Ambush when she came to South Africa for her Nike collab, to the Wine Wednesdays. With her insight and passion for all things social, on top of Jes just having an air of authenticity, she and Jemma have proved that Acid is not just a place to eat and drink; it's an experience.

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