DTLR to Release Summer-Ready ‘Gelato’ New Balance Collab This Week

Here's the scoop on the sweet sneakers.

Baltimore-based retailer DTLR has partnered with New Balance for a fresh take on the sportswear brand’s 990v6 sneaker.

Officially unveiled July 3, the DTLR x New Balance 990v6 “Gelato” arrives right on time for the peak of summer. According to a press release from the retailer, New Balance proposed the idea of a summertime 990v6 colorway, which resulted in the vibrant, ice cream parlor-inspired look pictured here. The shoes boast a multicolor “Gelato” theme, blending a gray mesh base with bright suedes in blue, yellow, orange, pink and purple.

DTLR says the palette is meant to represent flavors such as lemon, blue raspberry, orange, apple and grape. It’s a combination that could risk clashing, but DTLR kept the colors restrained enough that the pair remains easy to wear.

The New Balance 990v6 is the latest edition of the brand’s long-running 990 series. The original 990 sneaker was released in 1982 and later revisited in 1998 with the introduction of the 990v2. From there, New Balance would issue sporadic updates to the model, including the 990v3 in 2012, 990v4 in 2016 and the 990v5 in 2019.

The 990v6 was launched in November 2022 and is notable for updating the sneaker’s midsole with FuelCell cushioning. The model has been featured in high-profile collaborations with the likes of Action Bronson, Carhartt WIP, Kith and WTAPS. Most recently, designer Joe Freshgoods teased an upcoming New Balance 990v6 project.

Originally named Downtown Locker Room, DTLR was founded in Baltimore in 1982. In 2017, it merged with Philadelphia-based Sneaker Villa and was acquired in 2021 by JD Sports for $495 million.

Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to lace up this latest collab. The DTLR x New Balance 990v6 “Gelato” is a kids exclusive and will come only in grade school, preschool and toddler sizes. The toddler-sized pair is confirmed to retail for $95, but DTLR has not yet added the other size ranges to its e-commerce site. The collaboration will be released Friday, July 12 exclusively from DTLR in stores and online from dtlr.com.