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GU vs New Balance: similarities and differences

Compare brand traits, similarities and differences.

Reference brand: GU Swap brands

GU

Japan Founded 2006

Trends & youth culture · Polished & dressy · Minimal & basics

New Balance

United States Founded 1906

Sporty & sportswear · Trends & youth culture · Streetwear

Similarities and differences

Shared traits

  • No shared traits are available.

Different traits

  • Sporty & sportswear

    New Balance shows a stronger emphasis

  • Streetwear

    New Balance shows a stronger emphasis

This pair is not included in the similar brands recommendations.

Trait comparison

  • GU (solid line, circles)
  • New Balance (dashed line, squares)
Traits of GU and New Balance, shown relative to each brand.
How to read the chart

Traits farther from the centre are more prominent within each brand. The chart uses the same relative display as the brand profile. Area does not indicate brand quality or absolute differences between brands.

Traits by category

Bar lengths show how prominent each trait is within each brand.

  • GU
  • New Balance
Minimal & basics
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Polished & dressy
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Luxury & heritage
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Avant-garde & designer
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Decoration & playfulness
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Streetwear
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Trends & youth culture
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Sporty & sportswear
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand
Outdoor & functional
GU：Relative prominence within the brand
New Balance：Relative prominence within the brand

Basic information

Field
GU
New Balance
Country Japan United States
Founded 2006 1906
Category Clothing Footwear
Other categories Bags Accessories Footwear Lifestyle products Clothing Bags Accessories

— indicates information that is not available.

Brand profiles

Brand lines

GU

No information is available.

New Balance

Collaborations

GU

  • 2025-03-14

    UNDERCOVER

    The first collection, marking its relaunch as “UG,” is scheduled to launch on March 14, 2025.

  • 2021-02-22

    MIHARA YASUHIRO

    In 2021, it announced a collaborative collection featuring remake-style jackets and sneakers.

GU collaborations

New Balance

  • 2026-02-20

    WTAPS

    WTAPS × New Balance “U1300WT / Made in USA 1300.” It is safest to treat the 2/20 date notation and the 3/6 announcement in Japan as region-specific information.

  • 2026-01-09

    BEAMS

    Their first apparel collaboration in the “Made in U.S.A.” series. Four styles, including crewneck sweatshirts, all made in the United States.

  • 2025-10-17

    JUNYA WATANABE MAN

    Across multiple seasons, they continued to announce JUNYA-exclusive sneakers, including 650 for 2023FW and 471 for 2025FW.

  • 2024-09-05

    Loro Piana

    A limited collaboration with New Balance. A special-edition sneaker based on the 990v6 and combining Loro Piana materials. Released on September 5, 2024, in select regions including North America and Europe.

  • 2024-05-15

    ISSEY MIYAKE

    ISSEY MIYAKE and New Balance announced their first collaborative sneaker project. It launched first in Japan on May 15, 2024, followed by a global release on June 14, 2024.

  • 2023-04-17

    COMME des GARÇONS

    Collaborations through HOMME and eYe JUNYA WATANABE MAN have covered both tech and retro styles, including Rainier, 1906R, and 990v6. The materials contrast leather and mesh.

New Balance collaborations

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