Premier Skate Shop and New Balance Introduce Stylish '480PMR' Collab Shoe

"As the last frosts retreat and the spring undergrowth pushes through, a rare and sought-after delicacy reveals itself. Camouflaged in the leaves and ground cover, the morel mushroom is a wild forager’s secret, only appearing for a short time in its natural environment and commonly near where it sprouted the season before," Premier writes. "Like the morels, when the snow ahead melts away, we return to our familiar weathered Michigan skate spots, this time with a collaborative New Balance Numeric 480 laced up."

Pretty rad, right? Premier does a lot for the local skate scene in Grand Rapids and I was fortunate enough to visit the shop a few years back. It’s definitely one of those core shops that acts as a hub for their locals and has a really cool aesthetic about it.

As far as the shoes themselves, the subtle little details are really what makes them special. 

"The 480PMR features a morel cap pattern debossed onto the leather upper and is highlighted by a Morchella colored 'N' and tongue tag made of HyphaLite™ TC, a sustainable leather-like plant-based material produced with the fruiting bodies of mushrooms," Premier mentions. 

"Like morels, the shoe’s neutral-toned colorings offers a range from cool greys to warm tans and deeper browns. Co-branding appears at the tongue tag, insole, side tagging, and custom packaging, which includes a second set of hiker-style laces, a foraging shoe bag and sticker."

Whether you’re a fan of Premier, a Grand Rapids local or are simply a skateboarder who loves to skate New Balance shoes, these shoes are pretty stylish and the 480 is one of NB#'s most admired models. 

Look for the Premier x New Balance Numeric 480PMR in-store at Premier on Saturday, November 23rd at 11am. They'll be online a few hours later the same day at 2pm. 

Big ups to the folks at Premier, the ripping Grand Rapids scene and everyone at New Balance who made this happen. I love a good backstory and they nailed it with this one.