New Balance’s Sounds of an Icon Series Brings the 990 to Life in Washington, D.C.
Celebrating the reign of the 990 silhouette in the city with a gallery showcase and panel discussion.
After hitting the streets of Baltimore, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. last summer to spotlight each city’s cultural ties to the 990 silhouette, New Balance continues to celebrate the reign of the cult-classic sneaker in the East Coast communities with the Sounds of an Icon series. A sneaker staple, the 990 has continually transcended fashion trends and acted as a symbol of community and creative expression. To hone in on the impact of the 990 in D.C’s style scene, New Balance heads to the capital city.
Storytelling through style, the Sounds of an Icon series tells the tale of the 990 through the lens of D.C.’s creative culture and unique style expression. Capturing the core of the community’s fondness for the forever-classic footwear model, the culture-centric project will come to life as an in-person event at the Chela Mitchell Gallery on February 17, with local legend and Somewhere store owner, Dom Adams, taking the lead.
The third generation Washingtonian took over D.C.’s street style scene with Somewhere by supplying high-end streetwear and sneakers to the locals. A collaboration between his business partners Will Sharp and Steve Place, Somewhere fulfilled Dom’s desires to see D.C. natives embark on entrepreneurial endeavors in the city. Operating as a clothing store and café, Somewhere is home to two cultural hotspots in D.C., the Navy Yard and Union Market, the former just a few minutes away from Southwest D.C. where Dom grew up. Honing in on his love for his hometown, Dom heads to the Chela Mitchell Gallery with New Balance to celebrate with his community.
Located in D.C.’s Union Market District, the Chela Mitchell Gallery will transform with sentimental shots of D.C., a shoe timeline of the 990 throughout the years, an interactive map of the city’s cultural hubs – featuring Dom’s favorite spots – and audio stories revealing his personal ties to D.C. Attendees at the event will be drawn into its immersive elements through an interactive map that allows them to mark their favorite trendy destinations in the city.
Guests will also get the opportunity to indulge in a panel discussion, co-hosted by Dom and moderated by Hypebae, held during the day of the activation. Discussing D.C.’s style evolution, the panel discussion will feature sneaker collector and podcaster Abdul Fouzi and entrepreneur and arts enthusiast Ian Callender alongside Dom, as they detail trends that have dominated the DMV (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia), the rise of the 990 in the region and the importance of local entrepreneurship in preserving D.C.’s identity.
Sounds of an Icon Gallery – Chela Mitchell Gallery
300 Morse St. NE, Suite #8, Washington, D.C. 20002
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