Last week saw the release of the FOOTPATROL X NEW BALANCE M1500FPK ‘ENCYCLOPAEDIA’. Ahead of the launch on Saturday morning, we were invited as part of a small selection of press and faithful customers to a special preview at Library, St. Martin’s Lane – the location for the shoe’s original photo shoot. Along with the Footpatrol team, Andy Okolowicz (Flimby’s Factory Manager), Chris Hodgson (Development Manager) and Tom Henshaw (Marketing Manager for New Balance EMEA) were in attendance. Both teams were on hand to explain the process behind their collaboration, both creatively and technically, and to celebrate the fruition of the project itself.
Jimmy Horrocks, Operations Manager at Footpatrol, explained that using the Encyclopaedia Britannica as inspiration for this shoe seemed apt, as it boasts a long-standing British heritage as well as being a great source of knowledge—both traits that are shared by the UK arm of New Balance. This was evident from Andy and Chris’ detailed explanations of the history of the 1500, the particularities of the M1500FPK and the extensive catalogue of previous collaborations produced by Flimby. The British theme runs especially deep on this shoe too, with the waterproof leather used throughout having been sourced from English tanneries exclusively for this project.
Check the photos from the event below and stay tuned for a further roundup of Saturday’s in-store launch of the FOOTPATROL X NEW BALANCE M1500FPK ‘ENCYCLOPAEDIA’ as well as information about the wider global release ahead of the drop on 7 FEB 2015.