U998TE

Following a few years on the sidelines, New Balance's lifestyle workhorse – the 998 – gets called back onto the field. Debuting in 1993, the 998 introduced one of the most impactful advances in cushioning to NB to-date: ABZORB. The foam/rubber composition offered superior cushioning compared with anything on the market, making the 998 one of the most comfortable shoes money could buy. So effective was the combination that the 998 actually stayed in production for decades after the model itself was surpassed by newer 99x models. To this day, ABZORB still features in the modern New Balance arsenal of tools.

Purple and New Balance have a fond history, with the hue featuring on prominent releases including Japan-exclusive 1500s from the mid-'90s and the famed Solebox "Purple Devils" pack – although this shade is of a different tone. The materials themselves are a shot-for-shot remake of the original, as if they come from an alternative universe where the New Balance 990 series was known for their purple legacy, not the familiar grey.