Where to Buy the Concepts x New Balance 1000 'Míle'

You might still be recovering from all the splurging you did throughout February, but Deon Point and Concepts have already prepped a New Balance 1000 collaboration for March that'll have you setting aside money you don't have.

Unveiled via Instagram by the storied boutique's Creative Director, the Concepts x New Balance 1000 project is covered in shades of green. Point's post showcases two different styles of the 26-year-old silhouette, with one pair indulging in a predominantly 'White' color-blocking across its upper. The focal point of the teaser image is an offering that features a deep shade of green via its mudguard, which is contrasted with ruby red 1000 branding on the lateral forefoot. Co-branding on the top of the tongue follows suit, with special graphics on the insole also denoting the linkup between the two longtime collaborators.

As was the case with the Concepts x Nike Air Max 1 project Point hinted at last month, the teaser photo was accompanied by a number of slides that share some insight behind the unreleased design. Given Concepts' origins in Cambridge, Mass., the Irish/St. Patrick's Day connection cannot be ignored (Point all-but-confirmed this with several pictures featuring clovers, as well as the "I heard you paint houses" caption nodding to Charles Brandt's Jimmy Hoffa-related book that was adapted into film (The Irishman) by Martin Scorsese). Perhaps unexpected, the slides also included images of the US Bureau of Engraving and Printing's mythical $1000 bill.

Printed between 1861 and 1934, the $1000 is currently an obsolete denomination of U.S. currency, but it still forms an important part of the country's legal tender history. When viewed with this information in mind, the New Balance 1000 by Point and team serves as yet another example of Concepts' mastery in, well, concepts.

On Monday, March 10, an official announcement for the project – titled 'Míle' – confirmed both inspirations of the NB 1000. Point and team referenced "the Grand Watermelon" bill for its design (including the shoe box). Back in 2014, one such bill 1890 sold for over $3 million at Heritage Auction. The bill gets its nickname from its reverse side, where the zeros feature webbing reminiscent of that found on watermelons. The front side also features a red seal that's made select editions of the $1000 bill rarer than those with brown seals. As with other high-value items, the discontinued currency has been the attention of theft, which also contributes to the backstory of the New Balance 1000 'Míle.'

A robber once took to a Chicago bank to steal a $1000 Federal Reserve Note. The criminal was met with a precautionary measure implemented in the late 1960s: dye packs. The way dye packs worked was the following: They were placed in a stack of bills, which were given to robbers at the bank. A radio transmitter triggered the pack to explode when the robber left the premises, releasing an aerosol of dye and sometimes tear gas. Ultimately, this would deter robberies and help recover stolen money while leading to authorities identifying the robber(s).

But Concepts didn't only draw from Chicago's notorious past. Point and team created the 'Míle' as a nod to the city's storied St. Patrick's Day celebration. The tradition of dumping green dye into the Chicago River began in 1962 and inspired the latest CNPTS x NB linkup.

Pairs will be available first via Concepts in-store and online on Friday, March 14 at 11 a.m. EST, followed by a wider release on NewBalance.com on MArch 21st