After slinking onto the Rebound Ace and Whizz Run in February, the Pink Panther is back in LC23 and Diadora's collaborative crosshairs again, this time on an N9002. One of Diadora's most well-known heritage models, the N9002 originally released in 1992 and quickly garnered acclaim for its premium build — making it a perfect canvas for the Pink Panther's humorous-yet-elegant hijinks.
Crafted in Italy, this Pink Panther-inspired sneaker boasts a supple mixture of white leathers and soft gray suedes on its luxuriously layered upper, with the former material making up the base and the latter handling the overlays. Of course, no Pink Panther sneaker can stay entirely serious forever. Therefore, the Panther's smirking mug is plastered on the heel with a full-color rubberized badge, and also present on the insoles in printed fashion. Pink co-branded details grace the tongue and lace deubres alike, with sail-colored EVA foam midsoles and pink outsoles finalizing the look.
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The LC23 x Diadora N9002 "Pink Panther" is available now on the Diadora webstore, and retails for a kingly $240 USD.
For more impressively crafted sneakers, take a look at New Balance's made-in-the-US 993 "Vintage Indigo."