Few brands have achieved so much by changing so little. Justin Saunders, founder of JJJJound, has spent nearly a decade proving that a New Balance shoe rarely lacks anything. His approach consists of finding the exact right tone, substituting a material, and stepping back. The new New Balance 990v3 by JJJJound, which the Montreal-based studio unveiled as part of its Fall/Winter 2026 collection, takes that approach further than ever – though in the opposite direction from usual: this time, the innovation lies in what they’ve removed.
The New Balance 990v3 isn’t just any model in this lineup. It served as the canvas for the first collaboration between the two brands in 2018 and returned in 2022 in three versions: an olive green, a brown, and a brown exclusive to Montreal. The colour palette of the new model harkens back to that first pair, with earth tones and black accents. The execution, however, is something else entirely.
What’s gone is the mesh. Most 990v3s combine suede overlays with a mesh base that ventilates the foot and gives the model its texture. JJJJound replaces it with tan suede, so that the base and the panels share the same material and colour. The architecture remains intact, with all its layers and seams, but now it looks like a single piece. From a distance, it resembles a 990v3 sketched in pencil.
Contrast is limited to just a few details. The “N” on the side is black, as is the midsole. The tongue swaps out the standard silver finish for suede in the same shade, with the “New Balance” inscription embroidered in brown. The only thing that shines is a small metallic accent on the “990” on the heel. The JJJJound logo is reduced to a detail visible only to those wearing the sneakers or those who bend down to look at them.
That subtlety explains much of the phenomenon. JJJJound’s collaborations don’t look like collaborations. They look like New Balance sneakers chosen by someone with a keen eyewhich is exactly what they are. That’s why the 2018 pair still looks current, while many of the sneakers that shared the display case with it now feel tied to a specific season.
The choice of model also says something. The 990v3 debuted at the start of the last decade and is part of the generation that transformed the technical running shoe – bulky and panelled – into a staple of the men’s wardrobe, long before anyone was talking about “dad shoes.” While New Balance’s Made in USA line focuses its fall catalog on the 990v4 and prepares for the arrival of the 990v7, Saunders goes back four generations. Nostalgia has little to do with that decision. JJJJound knows which version pairs best with wool pants.
With JJJJound, the interesting question is never what they’ve added to a sneaker. This time, the answer to what they’ve taken away fits into one word – mesh – and that’s been enough.
Price and Release Date for the JJJJound New Balance 990v3
Neither JJJJound nor New Balance has announced the price or release date yet. The only official clue is the season – Fall/Winter 2026 – so they’re likely to drop in the coming months on the JJJJound website and New Balance channels, perhaps with a pre-sale.
This story originally appeared on GQ Spain.
