• by Sarah Mahoney , February 3, 2009

New Balance is betting that women will spend big on a pink sneaker commemorating its 20th anniversary with the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure, and it will introduce the $140 pink suede shoe in August.

While plenty of men spend that kind of dough on special-edition shoes from the likes of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, a spokesperson for the Boston-based New Balance says it is not aware of any other special-edition or cause-related women's shoe with this high a price tag.

Part of its Lace Up for the Cure collection, a limited number of customizable anniversary 993s will go on sale in July, allowing runners to personalize the tongue of the shoes with the name of a survivor or loved one, and phrases such as "In Honor of," "Running for" or "Lace Up!"

And as it did last year, the company says it plans to donate $1 million of the proceeds of this year's Lace Up for the Cure collection to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, with a guaranteed gift of $500,000.

New Balance has been sponsoring Race for the Cure, the granddaddy of cause-related marketing events, since 1989, making it the longest running sponsor of the race series. It also sponsors the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk, Marathon for the Cure and Honorary Team New Balance, a group of breast cancer survivors selected from each Komen Race for the Cure.

In addition to the special edition of the 993, which at $140, is priced the same as the regular version of the women's shoe, this year's Lace for the Cure collection will include the 769, at $99, which is the official shoe of the race, and the 760, at $75, the official shoe of the Breast Cancer 3-Day, as well as two other models. All four shoes will be available in April.