New Balance has got a big storm coming. Of the thunder variety at that.

The New Balance 1906 sneaker in "Thunder Brown" takes the fatherly steez of NB's dad shoe offerings and elevates it with a deep oak colorway. Baroque in its mesh-ed out beauty, the New Balance 1906 is a testament to the reigning power of monochromatic colorways. 

Brown laces, brown outsole, brown accents — I think NB was going for a theme here. All that chocolate is nice and all, but the real playmaker here is the snakeskin paneling throughout the upper, which makes an already handsome sneaker all the more dapper.

Want to make a regular sneaker look animalistically fire? Throw some scales on it.

Available on the New Balance website for about $160, this thunderish NB reflects one of New Balance's greatest strengths: making functional footwear that's fly on purpose.

Where NB hallmarks like the all-gray 991 or the slimmer 998 became unintentional stylistic staples, remember: these used to be just for dads, the snakeish 1906 was designed to be fly. Sure it has its performance-focused elements like enhanced cushioning for comfort and enhanced shock absorption. But the real focus is the shoe’s dashing disposition.

This focus on crafting good-looking shoes like the equally snaked-out Ganni NB loafer or the well-stitched Sashiko Gals 1300JP sneaker is common within the world of New Balance collabs. But lately, New Balance has been whipping out style-forward stunners with thunderous precision, no co-sign needed.

Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty