Editorial: Bodega x New Balance "The Trail Less Taken"

Working on yourself means doing what you love unapologetically – no matter what everyone else around you is saying or doing. From hobbies and passions projects to steps necessary to get to where you want to be, individuality is often defined by a trail less taken.

Sometimes this path isn’t ground-level at all but a lane in the sky. A pocket of freedom that feels carved out just for you. And although you never know what will inspire it, being present and open-minded can go a long way.

For Hubert, a NYC native better known as “Live Action”, this meant seeing pigeons coming out of a window in Brooklyn when he was a kid, tracking down the source of the controlled chaos, and being like ‘Yeah this is for me’.

After talking to the OG handler who owned the avian army and learning what this newfound world of pigeon carrying was all about, Hubert dove beak first into the art and science of breeding and keeping pigeons, giving this future sultan of street birds the sense of calm and excitement he had been looking for. He had found a passion that allowed him to care for other living creatures while vicariously living through their perspective. In this way, he too was flying.

And all it took was a quick look up at the sky.

Even though pigeon keeping isn’t for everyone just yet, anyone who knows him knows Live Action’s level of passion is nothing short of infectious - even Hey Arnold’s Pigeon Man would surely be proud. So when we thought of what we wanted to express in our latest collab with our family over at New Balance, encouraging people to get out and find their true calling was top of mind.

And what better way to focus on what’s important than by feeling free as a bird when it comes to footwear?

In sort of a meta play, that’s how we landed on the 610, a sneaker that we're obsessed with that doesn't get enough love in the ecosystem. Fresh off an 11-year rest in the nest, NB's updated trail sneaker was ready to pick up where it had left off, turning heads and breaking twigs thanks to a rugged design.

From its mesh body with synthetic panels and suede accents to the toe box eyelets, speed lace toggles, and reflective hits, it’s as if the feeling of being fully stocked for an adventure came in sneaker form. Dunked in a Skeletor leaning palette which may or may not take queues from Hubert's finest specimens, the iridescent colors signal a step back from the earth tones dominating the trail space and channels a fresh perspective.

So whether they encourage you to go farther outside your comfort zone, stay out later or start earlier than you normally would, or just help you feel more in tune with your instincts, like a carrier pigeon returning home, let our 610s be your beacon.