Nike Dunk

From basketball to skateboarding

The Nike Dunk was released in 1985 with a design specially designed for basketball. The brand used the sneaker to lead Nike's College Colors Program, in which the brand signed several college basketball players for an exclusive Nike Dunk sponsorship agreement. Thanks to the deal, players received different colorways of the model depending on the design of their team jerseys. Both Nike Dunk Low and Nike Dunk High presented an exclusive combination of colors, and thus become worn throughout various legendary universities, such as the University of Kentucky, the University of Iowa, and the University of Michigan. But its greatest splendor in the world of basketball came thanks to Michael Jordan. The player wore Nike Dunks in every game, until his own namesake line was created. In 1998, due to the demand from sneakerheads (especially those in Japan), Nike began to re-release the Dunk.

The Skateboarding Era

It was in 2002 when the Nike SB Dunk arrived, remastered by Nike's Skateboarding line. The model was welcomed by the skater scene, as its sole featured an excellent grip and the skaters could feel the board as never before. It was no longer necessary to put aside a pair of sneakers solely to do tricks: you could now wear the same pair for the street and for the skate park. Different streetwear and skater brands had their eyes on these sneakers and collaborated with Swoosh to release their own version of the Nike Dunk. Stüssy, Chocolate Skateboards, and Zoo York achieved some of the most significant drops of the time, with very limited editions and at prices that, even by today's standards, reached astronomical figures. The art scene also been affected by the Dunk, with the Nike Dunk x Stash deserving special mention. The artist signed each of the boxes of the limited edition sneakers, in which only 40 pairs were made.A true collector's item.

The first treasure for sneakerheads

From skaters to sneakerheads, independent shoe store owners, collaborators and urban celebrities, all contributed to making the Nike Dunk a legend. In fact, the model can boast of being one of the main players responsible for triggering the sneakerhead fever, marking the passage from a subculture focused in New York, Japan, London and Los Angeles to a phenomenon that would spread unstoppably worldwide thanks to, among other things, the Internet. Also, because of retailers such as Supreme and HUF, hype that empowered the independent and specialized media, and the unbridled passion shown for the Dunk with people like Hommyo from Atmos, it did nothing but push the fame of the Nike Dunk at full speed ahead. It was even one of the first sneaker models to enter the game of limited drops with boutiques collabs such as those with Undefeated, Eddie Cruz (Stüssy), and Union Frame.

35 years later

Today, the Nike Dunk doesn't just live on by what its been known for in the past. It continues to set itself apart as the favorite sneaker among tons of skaters and sneakerheads, encompassing the field of streetwear and casual fashion and the most casual terrain with their presence in all skate parks. Icons like Sean Malto, Ishod Wair, andTheotis Beasely continue to wear them as a lifestyle shoe. Undoubtedly, it's become one of the most important silhouettes in sneaker history, and its legacy extends to the present. Aware of its strength, Nike continues to re-release it, presenting new iterations, dressing it in different colors and textures, remastering the sneaker treasure to adapt it to our times without ever forgetting its roots and essence.