FEATURE

Translated By DeepL

We asked five sneaker freaks about this year's best buys and next year's next buys!
SNEAKERS : 2023 BEST BUY & 2024 NEXT BUY

We asked five sneaker freaks about this year's best buys and next year's next buys!

The sneaker scene in 2023 saw a variety of topics. From skate shoes undergoing a revival, to tech-inspired products incorporating the latest technology, to collaborations with a twist, the choices are endless. What kind of shoes did the five sneaker lovers purchase? We all have as many memories as the number of times we've worn them, and as many times as we've walked in them, we've grown attached to them. So we asked each of them to pick out their best buys for this year and two next-buy pairs that they are aiming for next year.

SELECTOR 02

PROFILE

Ayumu Kurashima

After graduating from an advertising production company, he left in 2016 to pursue his dream of wandering the world, visiting 88 countries. After joining an agricultural startup in Kenya as COO, he returned to Japan in 2007 to join the creative studio "&SUPPLY" and run three restaurants.
Instagram @ayumu_kurashima

BEST BUY

BEST BUY

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v13

Whether on a run, in town, or at work.

The "1080 v13" was released by New Balance in October this year. I have worn the previous "v12" and the previous "v11", but I remember being impressed the moment I put my feet through them because the cushioning, resilience, and above all, comfort had been greatly updated. I love the light blue color for running every morning. I love the light blue color for running every morning, but I also bought the all-black version for everyday use. Running shoes tend to come in flashy colors, so it's hard to find shoes with black uppers and midsoles. These are run shoes but also work well as sneakers, and they are useful on days when I walk a lot or when I work at my restaurant at night.

NEXT BUY

NEXT BUY

New Balance ML610 GTX B

GORE-TEX® after all

I've had my eye on these shoes ever since I happened to find them at the store, and I took a picture of them on the spot because I knew I wanted to have them someday. -I like the technical upper design, and the pure white coloring is a great color for differentiation. I can also wear them when camping, which is one of my hobbies, and the drawcord makes them easy to put on and take off, which is another reason I mentioned them.
Price: ¥24,200

New Balance Japan Customer Service Center
Phone: 0120-85-7120
shop.newbalance.com