Action Bronson continues building out his first signature New Balance silhouette with two contrasting additions: “Blackjacques” and “The Whisperer.”
Action Bronson has been given something relatively few New Balance collaborators ever get: his own silhouette.
Introduced earlier this year, the New Balance 2811 is Bronson’s first signature model with the Boston footwear company. Rather than simply applying another BAKLAVA colour palette to an existing New Balance shoe, the 2811 uses an original upper paired with the sole unit from the New Balance 2010.
After introducing the model through the colourful “Mikročpske,” Bronson is already expanding the family.
Blackjacques
Black dominates the shoe, extending across the mesh, overlays and tooling before a bright red N breaks everything up through the centre. Purple and blue details appear underneath, while small white accents provide some contrast around the lateral side.
Interestingly, Blackjacques isn’t entirely new to anyone who has been following the 2811 closely. Bronson wore the dark pair courtside before the 2811 had even been formally introduced, making it one of the earliest public looks at what would eventually become his signature shoe.
The Whisperer
The Whisperer takes almost the complete opposite approach.
A predominantly white mesh upper is layered with cream and grey, alongside seafoam green, blue and pink accents. A black sole underneath gives the otherwise light shoe some weight.
It’s restrained by Action Bronson standards, but that’s probably what makes it interesting. The colours are still unmistakably within the BAKLAVA universe without every part of the shoe competing for attention.
The Whisperer also had a strange journey to release. Before the official drop, pairs appeared on resale platforms below retail. Bronson subsequently said the inventory had been stolen somewhere within the supply chain. The precise circumstances of the alleged theft have not been publicly established.
Building the BAKLAVA universe
What I find most interesting about Bronson’s New Balance relationship is how far it’s moved beyond choosing colours for existing shoes.
The 2811 gives him an actual silhouette to build around.
And with three distinct treatments now establishing the model’s visual language, the 2811 is beginning to feel less like another collaboration and more like its own small universe within New Balance.
That’s pretty fitting for Bronson.
Whether it’s footwear, clothing, watches, fragrance or whatever else comes through Specializing in Life next, everything somehow ends up looking unmistakably BAKLAVA.
The Action Bronson x New Balance 2811 “Blackjacques” and “The Whisperer” released September 25 through Specializing in Life.
