Aimé Leon Dore's New Balance 991 Capsule: Why Teddy Santis Chose Heritage Over Hype
Teddy Santis is making a pointed institutional statement with ALD's upcoming New Balance 991 capsule, set to drop December 18th. Rather than riding the momentum of the 991v2—which has dominated Flimby's output since its 2023 debut through collaborations with Stone Island, Danielle Cathari, and numerous general releases—Santis is reaching back to the original 2001 silhouette. The two-colorway collection features a brown/cream/red iteration alongside an olive/grey/red variant, both anchored by that signature crimson accent that's become ALD's seasonal calling card. This marks ALD's first return to the original 991 since their 2022 release, and the decision carries weight: where the v2 offers refined comfort and a streamlined upper that's won over New Balance devotees, the original carries a less polished, more purposefully chunky aesthetic that aligns with Santis' consistent thesis about authenticity over optimization.
The second iteration of the Aimé Leon Dore Made in UK 991 draws inspiration from winter nautical exploration in the Nordics.
We set out with Jørgen, Live, and Stig over multiple days along the Oslo Fjord, crossing between Norway and Sweden, capturing the experience of braving winter conditions on the water.
The Aimé Leon Dore / New Balance Made in UK 991 and accompanying capsule collection releases Thursday, December 18th, at 11am ET, exclusively on aimeleondore.com and at Aimé Leon Dore flagship stores.
The strategic retreat to the original 991 reads less as nostalgia and more as cultural positioning—a deliberate move by someone who now serves as New Balance's Made in USA Creative Director but built his reputation at ALD by championing imperfect, lived-in aesthetics over algorithmic perfection. While the broader sneaker ecosystem chases the v2's improved fit and contemporary silhouette, Santis is asserting that the original's higher heel-to-toe drop and rounder construction contain something the update sacrificed: a specific kind of visual honesty that can't be engineered through iterative refinement. Accompanied by a short film documenting a journey through Nordic waters in a custom ALD x New Balance boat, the capsule positions these shoes not as product improvements but as cultural artifacts—objects that gain meaning through their relationship to heritage manufacturing and regional identity rather than through technical specifications or hype cycles.
