Nike Dunk
The Nike Dunk is a sneaker originally designed for basketball by Peter Moore for the North American sportswear company, NIKE, Inc. Debuted in 1985, the model has enjoyed newfound mainstream attention since 2017 thanks in large part to co-signs from Travis Scott and the late Virgil Abloh.
Initially named the “College Color High,” the shoe was originally sketched as a mash-up of various sneakers – including the Air Force 1 from 1982 and Air Jordan 1, which debuted just months before it. Although the Oregon-based company had amassed a formidable roster of hoops-ready sneakers by the mid 1980s, it was determined to capitalize on the off-court appeal basketball footwear had begun enjoying thanks to fashion trends, music-driven subcultures and film. The creative minds behind the Nike Dunk landed on said name because the final product was created on the same shoe last used to make what was widely considered as the best-fitting basketball shoes of the time: the Nike Legend.
Aware of network television's role in expanding college basketball's reach throughout the '80s, the Swoosh (as Nike is also referred to because of its iconic check logo designed by Carolyn Davidson) stylized its new design after 12 key schools so that fans could support their favorite teams from head to toe. Nike introduced the “College Colors” program via print advertising using the tagline “Be True to Your School,” with the original eight colorways drawing inspiration from the University of Kentucky, Iowa State, Syracuse University and University of Nevada, Las Vegas, among others. The Nike Dunk High was introduced in August of 1985 with color-coordinated apparel and bags.
Over the last 37 years, Moore's original design has been offered in a variety of trims, with Nike SB – the brand's skateboaring-focused category – utilizing the High, Mid and Low iterations interchangeably. Although the Swoosh didn't officially recognize the Nike Dunk as a skate shoe until March 2002, the month during which the late Sandy Bodecker took over the SB team after a failed first launch in the 1990s, countless skaters gravitated towards the basketball silhouette in the years following its debut: all the characteristics that made it a progressive option on the hardwood – lateral support, Air cushioning, pivot-oriented traction – helped Moore's design become a staple within the skateboarding scene.
Nike Dunk
The Women’s Nike Dunk High Channels A Familiar “Neutral Grey” Look
During February of 2021, Jordan Brand brought its first-ever original colorway of the Air Jordan 1 onto the ’85 trim, combining true-to-the-original shape and construction...
The Women’s Nike Dunk High Up Appears In A Greyscale Style
Peter Moore’s Nike Dunk High design has lived multiple lives since debuting as a basketball sneaker in 1985. With the women’s-exclusive “Up”-variant, the silhouette doubles...
Where To Buy The Nike Dunk Womens “University Gold” Pack
Thankfully, Nike has paid as much attention to women’s exclusive Dunks as they have men’s. Soon, the “University Gold” pack will expand the selection two-fold,...
The Women’s Nike Dunk High Rebel Reappears In Drab “Cargo Khaki”
The women’s Nike Dunk High Rebel is a newer proposition in the Nike Sportswear family, but it’s quickly garnered attention among fashion enthusiasts for its...
The Latest “Aged” Nike Dunk High Goes Fully Greyscale
As the Nike Dunk High continues to join new sneaker rosters across the globe, Peter Moore’s design has officially and unofficially turned back the clock...
The Women-Exclusive Nike Dunk High Rebel Returns In Simple “Black/White”
The Nike Dunk High has undergone various changes throughout its 36-year-history, with the latest arriving in the form of the women’s-exclusive “Rebel” iteration. True to...
The Women’s Nike Dunk High Rebel Is Receiving A Clean “Iron Purple” Colorway
With the likes of the Nike Air Force 1 Shadow and the Nike Dunk Low Disrupt, the Swoosh has been indulging its female audience with...
Nike Applies A Bold Transformation To The Dunk High Rebel
In early 2019, Nike Sportswear embarked on the women’s focused “Reimagined” collection that saw the Air Force 1 with some bold updates. Modified into five...
Official Images Of The Women’s Nike Dunk High “Aluminum”
While some spectators may view Virgil Abloh’s “The 50” as the general silhouette’s end, the Nike Dunk High hasn’t indicated that it’s returning to mainstream...