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New Balance 57/40: the 574 under a magnifying glass

The name is a simple calculation that reveals its origin. The 57/40 builds on the 574, New Balance’s best-selling silhouette, and even the style codes give it away: they start with M5740. But where the 574 is a compact, solid shoe, this version pulls everything apart. The midsole is higher and waves forward, the N is stretched longer and thinner, and the silhouette has become slimmer and longer.

The details follow that logic. The upper combines soft suede with mesh in separate panels, and the white midsole visibly extends forward under the toe instead of stopping neatly. As a result the shoe appears longer than it is. Anyone who puts the two side by side immediately sees that this is not a new generation but a reinterpretation: the same parts, different proportions.

That fits a trend you encounter more often on this site. The 9060 does the same with the 99x series, where forms from the archive are blown up and distorted into something decidedly contemporary. The difference is that the 57/40 stays closer to its original and is therefore easier to wear.

For those torn between the two: the 574 is the classic with calmer proportions, the 57/40 gives you the same familiar look with a bit more height and presence. Neither one requires explanation when you wear it.

On this page you can see which versions of the New Balance 57/40 are currently the hottest according to the Hypescore, the prices they start from and how many shops have them in stock.