About

New Balance 327: three shoes in one

The 327 has existed since 2020 and has no single original. Designer Charlotte Lee built it from parts of three running models from the 1970s that almost nobody remembered: the 320 from 1976, the 355 from 1977 and the SuperComp from that same year. The neat thing is you can point to those parts separately.

Start with the N. It’s huge here, much larger than on any other New Balance model: it begins at the laces and runs all the way to the edge of the sole. That size comes from the SuperComp. Then look at the outsole, which is toothed all around in coarse blocks and whose tread continues over the side; that’s the sole from the 355. And the rubber wrap that encases the heel comes from all three.

The most recognizable element is at the rear. The midsole slopes upward and protrudes behind the shoe, making the heel seem to tip up. Combined with the narrow, pointed toe, that gives the 327 a silhouette that leans forward, as if it’s already walking while standing still.

Materials vary by version, but the construction remains the same: suede on the toe and along the sole edge, nylon or mesh in between. This page shows many colorways and a few collaborations, including one with Concepts.

Within New Balance this is the most distinctive of the retro lines. The 574 is the broad classic that never went away, the 237 tones down the same 1970s shape, and the 9060 does with a different decade what the 327 does with the 1970s.

On this page you can see which versions of the New Balance 327 are currently hottest according to the Hypescore, the starting prices, and how many shops have them in stock.