New Balance Grey Days 1300JP

The campaign centered around the re-release of the highly coveted 1300JP—first introduced in 1985 and brought back only once every five years. While the shoe holds legendary status among longtime collectors, its cultural significance remains unfamiliar to many newer fans. To bridge this gap, we cast three figures with unique, generational ties to New Balance: Hirofumi Kurino, Takayuki Ohashi, and Shinichi Kubota. Each subject was interviewed and photographed in their personal environments, allowing their stories to unfold with authenticity. From Kurino’s early days styling New Balance with tailored suits at BEAMS, to Ohashi’s philosophy of timeless streetwear, to Kubota’s childhood dream of joining the brand he now helps lead—these stories anchored the 1300JP in memory, craft, and identity.

A pioneer in shaping Japanese menswear, Hirofumi Kurino recalls his first encounter with New Balance in the mid-1980s while working at BEAMS. Seeking a shoe to pair with his all-black suit that wouldn’t make him look like “an assassin,” he discovered the all-black suede 576. That moment marked a shift—not only in his personal style but in the broader perception of sneakers within fashion. Kurino began pairing New Balance with tailored garments, bridging the gap between streetwear and luxury. For him, the signature grey colorway became a defining aesthetic—one that quietly expressed refinement, function, and individuality.

As the founder of The Apartment Tokyo, Takayuki Ohashi has built a reputation for championing timeless, quality-driven street fashion. His admiration for New Balance stems from its enduring craftsmanship and its ties to American street style and hip-hop culture. Ohashi sees the brand not as a passing trend but as a symbol of longevity—an ethos he applies to his own retail philosophy. Through collaborations and curatorial storytelling, he continues to highlight New Balance as a staple in the culture, blending nostalgia with modern relevance.

Shinichi Kubota’s relationship with New Balance began long before he worked there. As a teenager in Fukuoka, he was so inspired by the brand that he wrote a heartfelt letter—delivered by his father, who worked for a New Balance partner company in Japan. That letter reached Ed Norton, the head of product planning and design in the U.S., sparking a pen-pal relationship that lasted nearly a decade. Motivated by this bond, Kubota studied English and pursued his dream of joining the company. Today, as a leader at New Balance Japan, he reflects on how the brand shaped both his personal and professional identity.