Three color-ways arise from the New Balance 576 Lake District pack. “New Balance Made in England 576 series is named for the picturesque Lake District where NB maintains its UK factory. The shoes are handcrafted at Flimby, in Cumbria in the Northwest of England, and feature rugged, outdoorsy materials like waxed sail cloth, back packing textiles, and old school hiking laces.” The Tannery has them.

More looks after the click.

The Boston Marathon is in full swing today. In appreciation of the event, New Balance delivers their Made in the USA 574 with some special Boston branding. “Both colorways: all green, and grey with blue mesh, are embroidered with “Bos 2011” on their heels. The production run was limited to 36 pairs of each color, and will only be available at The Tannery Flagship on Boylston, just feet from the Boston Marathon finish line.”

More looks after the click.

On April 5, 2011 New Balance will launch the brand’s first custom shoe program. Kicking things off, customers will be treated to a US made 574, produced to customer specifications through a simple web interface. We’ve seen custom sneakers before, and after nearly 10 years of internet based opportunity, the basics aren’t new. However, in employing the Norridgewock, Maine, manufacturing facility, New Balance highlights a core plant (responsible for 1/4 of New Balance North American sneaker shipments) and highlights a tradition of New England shoe making.

Support American manufacture and wear something a little distinct in the process. It’s a win, win program.

More images follow, representative of both factory and custom options.

J. Crew is a machine eating up the market right now. Leaving most of their own production overseas, they bring home the “Made in the U.S.A.” gleam through local U.S.A. based partners. Tactical move and one that has been working for them. The Made in the U.S.A. New Balance 1400’s are another example of this work. “The New Balance for J. Crew collection features two unique colorways of the 1400 sneaker in premium suede, which were designed in tandem by J. Crew’s Head of Men’s Design, Frank Muytjens, and New Balance. The New Balance for J. Crew collection features domestically tanned leathers from premium Made-in-USA partners in an on-going effort to support local American manufacturers.” They’ll retail for $130 a pair through their normal channels.

More looks a the New Balance 1400 Sneakers for J.Crew after the click.

The mothership HS comes in with news of the latest collaboration from DDCLAB with New Balance on the 420. Rather than the usual 3M reflective material being used to bring shine to the upper on the NB 420, crush glassed is used. They call it “High Visibility.” We call it dope. Designed by DDCLAB’s Roberto Crivello and Savania Davies-Keiller, the NB 420’s come housed in a custom DDCLAB pouch in an edition of 60. Look for the soon at the  new DDCLAB Mercer Street Flagship store.

More views of the DDCLAB New Balance 420 after the jump.

Here a preview of some upcoming New Balance 574’s – the Trail Pack. The pack consists of two New Balance 574’s, a brown and a grey colorway. Inspired by tracking shoes, the sneakers have been given accents to imitate that look. You can see it on the sole, the toe box and especially on the laces. Soon coming to Size, this is a nice and solid pack for the colder months.