The Nike Dunk Revival

The Nike Dunk sneaker has transformed from its roots as a basketball sneaker into something much greater, transcending sports, style, and culture - thanks to influential figures like Travis Scott and Virgil Abloh. It has seen an incredible resurgence.

Nike introduced a program in 1985 called "Be True to Your School," providing universities like St John's, Syracuse, Kentucky and Michigan sneakers in their team colors.

Origins

The Nike Dunk is an iconic sneaker with a deep history. Beginning its life as a basketball shoe, its journey has taken it through B-ball culture into skate culture. Though trends and revivals come and go over time, its current revival can be attributed to clever collaborations, iconic colorways, and leverage of Nike's cachet.

The Dunk's origins date back to 1985 when Peter Moore first designed it, using technology which had advanced rapidly during that period. College basketball fans quickly adopted it at that time; however, as technology advanced at an astounding pace and replaced it with better performing models featuring superior features and performance enhancement.

In 2001, Sandy Bodecker was hired as General Manager of Nike Skateboarding. This marked a new chapter for one of their most beloved silhouettes; Bodecker made it his goal to connect with local skate shops and understand their community better.

One of the first Nike collaborations that Bodecker orchestrated involved an unlikely pair: graffiti artist Eric Haze and New York's most renowned pizza shop Grimaldi's. Together they created and sold sneakers known as "Dunk and Pizza", an early precursor of many sneaker and apparel collaborations to come later on.

Releases

Nike quickly responded to the rise in skateboarding popularity by creating products specifically targeted toward its needs. Their Dunk sneaker was an instant hit, providing durability and comfort while simultaneously featuring their logo. Soon other skateboard brands adopted the Dunk as their flagship model.

Soon, sneaker became synonymous with skateboarding culture, and was worn by rappers, celebrities and other athletes alike. Today it remains one of the most beloved sneaker designs ever produced; its success can be attributed to its ability to bridge basketball culture with skateboard culture while constantly being reinterpreted.

Colorway options for this shoe are expansive. While its original colors remain available, other colorways have since surfaced over time - including university-themed releases like the 'Be True to Your School' pack that included 12 pairs featuring various college teams such as St. John, Syracuse and Michigan; more recently colors such as Michigan State Blue have become staples within its silhouette family.

The Nike SB Dunk has also been transformed through collaborations with designers, musicians, and other notable figures. Virgil Abloh's 'Off-White' collection featured it prominently, while Travis Scott was instrumental in its revival by producing series of Nike Dunk Lows featuring flywire over-lacing and an eye-catching "Reverse Panda" colorway.

Collaborations

Since becoming an iconic lifestyle sneaker, the Dunk has been featured in several high-profile collaborations and partnerships. Such agreements tend to engender feelings of exclusivity among consumers and lead to an increase in demand for sneakers designed by prominent artists and musicians - including graffiti artist Leonard Hilton McGurr (AKA Futura) and hip hop musician MF DOOM - who have created designs specifically for them.

Skateboarding culture has long embraced sneakers like Dunks as part of its culture; one such collaboration is the "Jarritos Pack", featuring both high-top and low-top pairs in vibrant hues. Significance: This collaboration shows just how coveted Dunks have become both among skateboarders and non-skaterboarders alike.

Other collaborations include the 'Colors By' series, in which skaters assume different colorways of sneaker. This creates an eye-catching look that highlights individual skater styles. One noteworthy colorway from this collection is Richard Mulder's Heaven's Gate Dunk Low which was inspired by mass suicide of Heaven's Gate cult members in 2022.

Nike SB has collaborated with numerous clothing brands to produce unique looks for its shoes. One such shoe is called 'Stussy Cherry' and features various colors inspired by different ice cream flavors; this shoe was developed alongside Californian brand Stussy which offers clothing and surfwear products in Laguna Beach.

Final Words

Michael Jordan may have stolen the limelight with his iconic Air Jordan 1 shoes during their prime, but Nike's Dunk would eventually find its niche: skateboarding. Thanks to pro skaters like Paul Rodriguez and Eric Koston, this sneaker quickly became a must-have within their respective communities and also gained notoriety as part of streetwear culture with collaborations from brands like Supreme and Stussy.

One of the more interesting characteristics of Dunks is their unique terry towelling insoles that help regulate temperature and dispel sweat quickly and effectively. Non-SB shoes do not possess such features, yet it makes the sneaker far more comfortable for wearers.

The shoe features an innovative tongue design that allows it to fold out and bend with the foot for an ergonomic fit, as well as feature both an embroidered Nike SB logo in its center and woven brand label on its upper edge.

Alongside these features, the shoe has undergone various modifications over the years. Some pairs were released with special outsole designs honoring Michigan, Syracuse and Kentucky schools' colors; updates also include a midsole with Zoom Air pod at heel and soft Poron foam forefoot cushioning that makes skating movements more responsive; while some OG Dunks even come equipped with flat laces instead of their typical round ones.