When The Whitaker Group (TWG) added New Balance’s 990v4 and 998 to its ongoing “Willful Bias” narrative, the result was more than just another sneaker release. It was culture-forward storytelling at its best. The latest installment, aptly titled “Willful Bias For Education,” reimagines New Balance’s Made in USA classics in lush jade-green suede. Yet the sneakers themselves are only part of the story. What this capsule truly delivers is a message that seamlessly blends community, identity, and style, all anchored by a cinematic short film, a carefully phased release, and community-driven intentions.

At the heart of the campaign lies TWG’s evolving Unwritten Curriculum series—an exploration of the lessons that shape us outside the confines of textbooks. This chapter unfolds on a fictional college campus during the high-pressure intensity of finals week. Here, we meet a charismatic student whose effortless charm carries him through until he encounters someone unmoved by appearances. The narrative then shifts, drawing a poignant parallel: children sporting preschool-sized 990v4s reenact bold gestures, underscoring the idea that confidence and authenticity take root early.

Jade Green Becomes The Signal Color for Purpose

The sneakers arrive dressed in a lush jade-green suede—a deliberate nod to TWG’s newest women-focused boutique, JAIDE. The 998 takes on a softer, lived-in feel through washed suede and creamy leather overlays, while the 990v4 opts for balance, pairing green mesh with layered suede and leather panels in a tone-on-tone composition. Unifying the two silhouettes is a signature insole graphic: Lady Justice lifting her blindfold, a recurring TWG motif since 2024 that speaks to awareness, equity, and transparency.

The choice of color feels purposeful rather than incidental. Jade, at once serene and commanding, carries symbolic weight—it’s inclusive, bold, and deeply fitting for a narrative that ties together education, equity, and self-expression. Likewise, the materiality is no afterthought. Hairy suede and reinforced overlays convey not just style but substance, signaling durability and craftsmanship. In this way, TWG ensures the capsule isn’t merely a vessel for storytelling. It feels tangible, intimate, and enduring.

Crafting Culture Through Conversation, Film, and Fashion

This collection isn’t just a drop. It’s a chapter in TWG’s ongoing storytelling ecosystem. Alongside the sneakers, the brand rolls out a cinematic short, an exclusive raffle, and carefully considered activations. The film, set against the backdrop of a bustling campus, captures the raw energy of a last day: confidence in stride, bonds of friendship, and fleeting flashes of honesty. Its central thread is clear—authentic connection isn’t achieved through surface-level charm, but through sincerity.

The release itself is structured to echo that sense of intentionality. The raffle ran from July 29 to August 4, leading into an early drop at JAIDE on August 7, before a wider launch on August 8 across TWG storefronts—JAIDE, A Ma Manière, APB, and Social Status—both in-store and online. Pricing is set at $220 for adults and $110 for preschoolers. More than a hype cycle, this is a synchronized moment where release strategy and message strategy are seamlessly intertwined.

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Design Layered With Symbol and Substance

Both silhouettes are exercises in nuance. The 998, celebrated for its textured form, stays true to its OG cushioning while arriving cloaked in hairy suede. Cream midsoles ground the look with a vintage nod, while restrained heel tabs anchor the design with balance. The 990v4, by contrast, leans into tonal harmony. A jade mesh base layered with soft suede overlays for structure, breathability, and longevity. Reflective accents catch the light, evoking late-night walks across campus and a sense of lived-in nostalgia. Form here is inseparable from memory, mood, and function.

It’s this attention to detail that elevates the sneakers beyond a fleeting trend. Built for daily wear yet styled with individuality, each pair is versatile enough to move from cargos to tailored trousers with ease. Every stitch carries intention. For sneaker purists and style-driven thinkers alike, it’s proof that storytelling doesn’t just happen in the campaign. It’s stitched directly into the craftsmanship.

A Cultural Curriculum

Willful Bias isn’t just a theme; it’s a philosophy. First introduced through the 1906U pack in 2024, the idea champions positive representation, self-awareness, and the quiet power of community uplift. With the “For Education” chapter, that philosophy deepens, honoring the kind of growth that extends far beyond textbooks or lecture halls. It’s about moving through spaces with intention—anchored in identity, shaped by conscious choices, and expressed through style that stands for something.

Even the inclusion of Little Kids sizing underscores the message: visibility and confidence start early, learned just as much on playgrounds as in classrooms. By design, James Whitner and his team set both the aesthetic and narrative to resonate across generations, genders, and experiences. The result isn’t simply a sneaker release, it’s a curriculum in cultural pride.

Final Take

In 2025, collaborations can’t just drop. They have to declare. The Whitaker Group’s “Willful Bias For Education” capsule does exactly that, blending color, culture, and storytelling into a narrative that feels both intentional and accessible. The jade-tinged sneakers are not only stylish and street-ready, but symbolic—layered with meaning for a generation that wears its values as visibly as its fashion.

At its core, this release is about access. Physical access, through inclusive sizing and wider availability. Emotional access, by creating space where more people feel seen, heard, and valued in a culture that hasn’t always been inclusive. TWG isn’t chasing hype cycles; it’s shaping legacy. And that’s why this campaign resonates—it’s more than style. It’s substance stitched into every detail.

Featured image: The Whitaker Group

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