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Insight: Nike Dunk
It's 10:00 a.m., and you finally get the notification you've been waiting for weeks: "The SNKRS raffle is now open." You have your friends and family in a group chat reminding them to enter. 10:10 rolls around, and you realize you've just gotten 16 L. It makes you wonder, "When did buying shoes become so hard?" It wasn't always this way.
The History of the Nike Dunk :
Today, the Nike Dunk is one of the most sought-after silhouettes ever released by the company. It was originally released in 1985 as a fusion of three Nike sneakers: the Legend, the Terminator, and the Jordan 1. Before the release of the first Dunk, most shoes produced at the time were all white or solid colors. This led to the revolution known as color blocking. Rather than one solid color shoe, Nike introduced two colorways. The campaign later became known as "Stay True to Your School." 12 different schools were fortunate enough to receive special colorways of the Nike Dunk and matching apparel. The shoe's initial release was for basketball players from these schools, hence the name Nike Dunk. Unfortunately, upon release, the Dunk was quickly overshadowed by the highly sought-after Jordan 1 model.
After sending brief shockwaves through the sneaker community, the Nike Dunk quickly faded into obscurity. Pairs began popping up in stores at discounted prices. Just as it seemed the Dunk's demise was imminent, a new consumer audience found a different use for the shoe.
The Birth of Nike SB:
Just like basketball players, skaters needed a solid shoe with good grip and ankle support. What once seemed like a dying trend has now resurfaced and is back as if it had never gone away. Nike was now trying to make waves in the skating community. They took it upon themselves to gather feedback from as many skaters as possible and launch a shoe that would become a benchmark. Through trial and error, Nike eventually launched the Nike SB Low. This was essentially a low-top version of the Dunk silhouette. Based on feedback from countless skaters, Nike concluded that a low-top model with a puffy tongue would be the ideal change needed to create the perfect skate shoe.
The next step in the grand plan was to distribute these new sneakers to skate shops that would help bridge the gap between Nike and skate culture. A total of 12 skate shops were selected to carry these shoes, some notable ones being Atmos, Premier, and FTC. Another key change to the Nike SB line came when Eric Koston began working with Nike. He suggested a slimmer tongue to offer skaters more variety. This led to the design of the Nike Dunk Low. As skaters around the world began to notice this new line of sneakers, so did many other consumers who liked the look of the shoes. What began as a way to be more inclusive for more than just basketball players turned into a movement. Skate shops began receiving calls from across the country, and the shoes that were once widely available now sold out the same day they were released.
Nike began to transition from the new kid on the block in the skate scene to the leaders of the movement. The evolution of the dunk didn't end with the creation of Nike SB. They wanted to go further, allowing skate shops to have creative control over the shoes that would be released. This led to a new era in sneakers, dominated primarily by brand collaborations.
In 2002, one of the most iconic Nike SB collaborations of all time was released. The Supreme Nike SB Low debuted in three colorways and changed the shoe game forever; this collaboration was followed by their collaboration on the high-top model a year later. The Nike Dunk, once considered just a basketball shoe, had now transformed into something much bigger. Not only were stores getting collaborations, but also very famous skaters were getting them. Some notable names include Paul Rodriguez, Eric Koston, and Elissa Steamer.
The Nike Dunk Today:
To this day, the Nike SB silhouette has seen collaborations with major companies, artists, and skaters alike. Travis Scott is among the recent icons Nike has collaborated with in a collaboration with SB. The Cactus Jack SB was released in February 2020, proving that the hype is far from over.
All in all, the Nike Dunk has cemented itself as a staple in sneaker history that can't be overlooked. The shoe was initially overshadowed by the Jordan 1, but many years later, it's still highly sought-after. The evolution of the Nike Dunk into the Nike SB also played a key role in maintaining the attention it once had. Next time SNKRS hands you an L, just remember that the hype was a long time coming.
The History of the Nike Dunk :
Today, the Nike Dunk is one of the most sought-after silhouettes ever released by the company. It was originally released in 1985 as a fusion of three Nike sneakers: the Legend, the Terminator, and the Jordan 1. Before the release of the first Dunk, most shoes produced at the time were all white or solid colors. This led to the revolution known as color blocking. Rather than one solid color shoe, Nike introduced two colorways. The campaign later became known as "Stay True to Your School." 12 different schools were fortunate enough to receive special colorways of the Nike Dunk and matching apparel. The shoe's initial release was for basketball players from these schools, hence the name Nike Dunk. Unfortunately, upon release, the Dunk was quickly overshadowed by the highly sought-after Jordan 1 model.
After sending brief shockwaves through the sneaker community, the Nike Dunk quickly faded into obscurity. Pairs began popping up in stores at discounted prices. Just as it seemed the Dunk's demise was imminent, a new consumer audience found a different use for the shoe.
The Birth of Nike SB:
Just like basketball players, skaters needed a solid shoe with good grip and ankle support. What once seemed like a dying trend has now resurfaced and is back as if it had never gone away. Nike was now trying to make waves in the skating community. They took it upon themselves to gather feedback from as many skaters as possible and launch a shoe that would become a benchmark. Through trial and error, Nike eventually launched the Nike SB Low. This was essentially a low-top version of the Dunk silhouette. Based on feedback from countless skaters, Nike concluded that a low-top model with a puffy tongue would be the ideal change needed to create the perfect skate shoe.
The next step in the grand plan was to distribute these new sneakers to skate shops that would help bridge the gap between Nike and skate culture. A total of 12 skate shops were selected to carry these shoes, some notable ones being Atmos, Premier, and FTC. Another key change to the Nike SB line came when Eric Koston began working with Nike. He suggested a slimmer tongue to offer skaters more variety. This led to the design of the Nike Dunk Low. As skaters around the world began to notice this new line of sneakers, so did many other consumers who liked the look of the shoes. What began as a way to be more inclusive for more than just basketball players turned into a movement. Skate shops began receiving calls from across the country, and the shoes that were once widely available now sold out the same day they were released.
Nike began to transition from the new kid on the block in the skate scene to the leaders of the movement. The evolution of the dunk didn't end with the creation of Nike SB. They wanted to go further, allowing skate shops to have creative control over the shoes that would be released. This led to a new era in sneakers, dominated primarily by brand collaborations.
In 2002, one of the most iconic Nike SB collaborations of all time was released. The Supreme Nike SB Low debuted in three colorways and changed the shoe game forever; this collaboration was followed by their collaboration on the high-top model a year later. The Nike Dunk, once considered just a basketball shoe, had now transformed into something much bigger. Not only were stores getting collaborations, but also very famous skaters were getting them. Some notable names include Paul Rodriguez, Eric Koston, and Elissa Steamer.
The Nike Dunk Today:
To this day, the Nike SB silhouette has seen collaborations with major companies, artists, and skaters alike. Travis Scott is among the recent icons Nike has collaborated with in a collaboration with SB. The Cactus Jack SB was released in February 2020, proving that the hype is far from over.
All in all, the Nike Dunk has cemented itself as a staple in sneaker history that can't be overlooked. The shoe was initially overshadowed by the Jordan 1, but many years later, it's still highly sought-after. The evolution of the Nike Dunk into the Nike SB also played a key role in maintaining the attention it once had. Next time SNKRS hands you an L, just remember that the hype was a long time coming.
