Samples aren’t rare within the world of sneakers, but few warrant the response as Supreme‘s discarded, unreleased products. Recently, luxury auction house Sotheby’s revealed that it’ll be hosting the sale of a “Court Purple” sample of Supreme’s Nike SB Dunk Low collaboration from 2021.
The pair was produced alongside styles that ultimately hit retail – “Black/White,” “Mean Green,” “Hyper Blue,” and “Barkroot Brown” – which served as sequels to a project both institutions released in 2004. The low-top counterpart to the original Dunk High Supreme also utilized crocodile-embossed uppers and a “Metallic Gold” star pattern across the mid-foot. By comparison, the sample Sotheby’s will auction off beginning on December 8th features shimmering “Nike” and swoosh logos instead of stars. While compelling in its own right, and an understandable approach from a longstanding partnership, the “Court Purple” Supreme Dunk Low serves another nod to the past: a scrapped version of the skate brand’s SB Dunk High featured a similar arrangement in 2003. Everything else on the pair falls in line with the Nike Dunks that released in March 2021.
Enjoy detailed photos of the unreleased sample ahead. Sotheby’s listing can be found here. The auction will commence on Friday, December 8th, and is expected to fetch between $4,000 and $6,000 USD. The “Court Purple” pair is a U.S. Men’s size 9.
For sneakers you can buy at retail, check out the Air Jordan 11 “Gratitude” launching on Saturday, December 9th, in sizing for the whole family.