While originally designed as basketball footwear for college players, the Nike Dunk has since become a cornerstone of sneaker culture through collaborations with skate brands like Stussy. These blue and white sneaks -- nicknamed UNC due to their light tones -- make perfect classic shoes.
Launched initially at London's Foot Patrol event, this grey suede exclusive features an embroidered outline of the River Thames.
History
Since its humble basketball roots, the Nike Dunk has evolved into more than just a sneaker. Cradling both sport and streetwear influences, this silhouette has been championed by designers like Virgil Abloh and Travis Scott; let us look at its significance today.
Nike Dunk was originally released as part of a program known as College Color High to give college basketball fans an easy way to show their team spirit. 12 distinct colors were released during this campaign to reflect top schools across America at that time; fans would need multiple pairs just to match up with their team uniforms! This campaign marked an unprecedented moment as sneaker culture during this era was predominantly white; thus fans had no option other than buying multiple pairs that matched.
Soon, sneaker popularity spread beyond college sports; skateboarders soon gravitated toward its silhouette for its technical properties: supporting lateral movements, absorbing impact and providing grip tape traction. A special feature was added with an additional padded tab on the back that created more friction between your foot and board surface.
Design
The Nike Dunk was originally intended as an on-court basketball sneaker and its design was heavily influenced by Air Jordan 1 and Delta Force sneakers, drawing upon these for inspiration for outsole, traction and upper aspects as well as possessing its own architectural aesthetic.
The Dunk became an instantaneous hit in college circles due to its ability to match collegiate colors and help athletes demonstrate school pride. Later, skaters appreciated its sturdy construction and comfortable fit - further increasing its popularity as lifestyle sneaker in the 1990s. Spike Lee even featured the Dunk in his film School Daze (1988), further cementing its street creds.
By the early '90s, Dunk shoes had fallen out of favor in mainstream culture; many older siblings even passed down their old pair to younger ones. With the introduction of Nike SB line in 2000 however, its silhouette once again gained momentum as university colorways cemented its place within skate culture and skateboard-specific traction and cushioning made it an ideal platform shoe.
The SB Dunk has long been a fashion scene staple. Thanks to collaborations with artists like Travis Scott and Virgil Abloh, it is also the go-to shoe of choice among many influential streetwear retailers and boutiques. Today, Nike's poster child remains as one with many looks and materials to choose from.
Colorways
The Nike Dunk has seen collaborations from across the sneaker landscape, from Travis Scott and Grateful Dead to Ben & Jerry's and Ben & Jerry's. Fans love its distinctive colorways.
Supreme's 2002 collaboration with Nike SB Dunk Low kickstarted their journey to fame and remains one of its most renowned iterations. These sneakers donned the iconic textured elephant skin nubuck material first seen on Air Jordan 3 sneakers - creating instantaneous buzz about this sneaker resale market version that still sells today for steep prices.
Nike Dunk High "atmos Elephants" were another highly acclaimed sneaker to make waves upon release, following in the footsteps of Supreme. Wearing similar colours, these sneakers featured elephant print on their uppers for the first time ever on non-basketball shoes; quickly becoming sought-after items among sneakerheads.
Although its hardcourt relevance waned as more technical shoes dominated, its legacy as a staple skateboarding shoe was rejuvenated in 2020 with its resurrection. This success can be attributed to young skaters' love of the shoe as well as collaborative models like Piet Parra x Nike SB Dunk Low "Abstract Art." With its muslin canvas uppers and gum sole finish finish making this pair one of the sleekest pairs ever released for skateboarding use.
Collaborations
Nike has collaborated with various companies to design custom Dunk sneakers. Thanks to a flourishing hype culture that fuelled sneaker resale and camp-out markets, this shoe became an integral part of skate culture.
Todd Bratrud was the first major contributor to this shoe line, designing a pair of sneakers inspired by Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street. Although some found this controversial due to their similarity, Bratrud maintained that he kept his head down and did what needed to be done.
More recently, Nike SB Dunk was given a fresh new look by streetwear designer and longtime skater Alyasha Owerka-Moore. Utilizing its silhouette as his canvas, he developed a version with thicker tongue for improved performance, comfort, and style.
Another wildly successful Nike Dunk collaboration came from Grateful Dead band members and featured denim details that alluded to the details found on their signature jeans such as wear and distress markings.
CLOT, a beloved skateboarding label in Japan, has collaborated with Nike SB on multiple occasions. Their 2017 iteration featured an upper made from layers of frayed black and grey denim panels as well as fragment designs to reflect CLOT's aesthetic.