New Balance: Athletic Footwear and Fitness Apparel

New Balance began as a Boston-based arch support company in the early 1900s, selling supports that were designed to improve the fit of shoes. In 1906, one of the company’s customers, British runner Arthur Lydiard, came to New Balance with a request for a special kind of running shoe. Lydiard wanted a shoe that would provide more support and be lighter than the heavy leather running shoes that were available at the time. New Balance’s founder, William Riley, took on the challenge and created a new type of running shoe with a flexible canvas and rubber sole. This new design was so successful that New Balance soon became known as a leader in athletic footwear.