The New Balance 204L Promises miu miu Style at A Budget

The world may never know how confident New Balance and miu miu were that their 530L collaboration would explode in popularity, but the former has taken note of the event, developing more ensembles in partnership with the Italian fashion house. Additionally, it seems that the Boston-based institution will try to capitalize on the situation by offering a new, budget-friendlier silhouette named 204L.

In comparison to miu miu's popular canvas, the New Balance 204L's origins aren't well-documented. Its similar busy upper design, however, suggests the impending model also draws inspiration from vintage running shoes. A low-profile, suede-heavy build positions the sneaker next to the $1,120 collaboration, as well as other old school offerings from Adidas Originals and PUMA, for example.

The 204L-branded design isn't too dissimilar from the New Balance RC56, a silhouette stealthily introduced by Aimé Leon Dore in one of its lookbooks. This sneaker references the RX505 cross-country racer from the late 2000s. Both models share a thin sole unit, firmly positioning them in the retro sports space.

House of Heat° reached out to a New Balance representative for more details on the NB 204L. None could be disclosed at the moment, but the publicity person shared that official photos and information would be shared soon. In the meantime, enjoy early shots of the shoe below—courtesy of Instagram user @kicksdong.

Keep an eye on NewBalance.com for an eventual launch, and check out the 2025 New Balance 1300JP reissue.