Why I think the Kith x New Balance 990v7 is the hardest sneaker to land in Australia this winter

The Hype Behind the 990v7 Summer in the City Collection

I have been tracking the New Balance 990 lineage for years, but the June 1st, 2026, release of the Kith x New Balance 990v7 "Summer in the City" exclusive feels different. As the newest silhouette in the 990 series, the v7 offers a streamlined mesh-to-suede ratio that we haven't seen before. Ronnie Fieg’s touch on the "Summer in the City" colorways—muted pastels that somehow capture the heat of a New York pavement—has made these the most talked-about us trends in the sneaker world this month.

Start Your Buy For Me Request for Kith x New Balance 990v7 (2026 'Summer in the City' Exclusive)

Merchant Kith StockX (US Verified)

Ship To Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czechia Côte d'Ivoire Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea North Macedonia Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine, State of Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Réunion Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Türkiye Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Åland Islands

Your Email

Product Url ^*

Product Name ^*

Unit Price (USD)^*

EST Service Fee: $22.5 $11.25

Quantity ^*

Color

Size

Instructions

Submit your proxy shopping order now and enjoy 50% OFF the service fee.

Plus, get 10% OFF international shipping on your first shipment.

Submit Order

Just a moment, securing your connection...

For those of us living in Australia, the frustration is real. This drop was a Kith US storefront exclusive. This means no local sneaker boutiques in Melbourne or Sydney received stock. When I realized the zero local availability, I knew I had to find a way to shop us ship international if I wanted to add these to my rotation before the Australian winter ends.

Why Australians Are Blocked from the Kith US Drop

I tried to check out normally on the Kith website the moment the clock hit midnight in New York. The problem became immediately clear. Kith, like many high-end US retailers, often restricts shipping for specific collaborations to domestic addresses only. Even when they do ship internationally, the costs are astronomical, and they frequently hit us with hidden surcharges. I noticed many of my peers in sneaker forums complaining about their orders being flagged because they weren't using a US-based shipping destination.

This is where I rely on a freight forwarder. By using a dedicated US address, I can appear as a domestic buyer, which is often the only way to get through the initial checkout phase for limited-edition drops like the 990v7.

How I Use a Tax-Free US Address to My Advantage

One thing I always emphasize to my fellow collectors is the importance of a tax-free us address. When I buy from Kith, the sales tax in New York can add a significant amount to an already expensive shoe. By shipping my 990v7s to a warehouse in a tax-free state like Oregon via comGateway, I save about 7-10% right off the bat. That’s money I can put toward the international shipping rates later.

I have found that having this intermediary address also allows me to consolidate other popular products I’ve bought throughout the week. If I’m buying the shoes, I might as well grab some Kith apparel to match and ship them all in one go.

My Secret for Bypassing Kith US Credit Card Blocks

Here is the part that many people don't talk about. Even if you have a US address, stores like Kith, Nike, or Sephora often block international credit cards. I have had my orders cancelled dozens of times because my billing address was in Australia while my shipping address was in the US. It is a common security measure that makes it nearly impossible for us to shop us store exclusives.

I found the solution through the BuyForMe service. When I use this, I simply tell the comGateway team what I want, and they buy it on my behalf using a US domestic credit card. This proxy shopping method is the safest way to guarantee an order doesn't get cancelled. It removes the "billing vs. shipping" mismatch that triggers fraud alerts in the Kith checkout system. If you're tired of seeing that "Order Cancelled" email ten minutes after a drop, this assisted purchase route is your best friend.

Shipping Estimates for the 990v7

Before I commit to a purchase, I always use a shipping calculator to see what the final damage to my wallet will be. Here is my estimate for the Kith x New Balance 990v7 based on previous New Balance shipments:

I always suggest checking the international shipping fees before the item hits the warehouse so there are no surprises. Since New Balances aren't restricted goods, they move through the system quite quickly.

What I Learned About Australian Customs and Sneaker Imports

When I ship to Australia, I have to keep the GST in mind. Since the 990v7 retails for around $220 USD, even with shipping, I am usually well under the $1,000 AUD threshold for import duties. However, if I were to buy multiple pairs, I would need to be careful. If the total value of the shipment exceeds $1,000 AUD, Customs will require a 10% GST payment plus processing fees.

I recommend using a reliable international shipping service that provides clear tracking. There is nothing worse than having a limited "Summer in the City" pair floating around in the ether without knowing if it has cleared customs in Sydney yet. We want those shoes on our feet, not sitting in a government warehouse.

If you are looking for more tips on high-demand drops, you might also like our guide on prohibited items to ensure your next US haul doesn't get stuck at the border.