Twenty-three years ago, a basketball hi-top emerged that became an icon of boldness, both on the court and off—the Nike Dunk. True to the colors of the college teams it was built for, the Dunk’s simple, high-contrast colorways evolved into a statement of true rebellion when skaters made them their own. From the team sports to the anti-establishment of fringe cultures, the Dunk not only spoke to everyone, but also connected all walks of life.
Nike’s January 2008 re-mastering of the Dunk starts from those electric ‘80s roots—a time capsule reminding consumers what they were first made for: college hoops. Available in the original colorways, these Vintage Dunk look like they came straight from 1985, thanks to an aging process Nike initiated last season with the popular Vintage Running series. Raw edges, broken-in leather, weathered foam, stained laces, aged mid and outsole – Nike did all the heavy lifting so you won’t have to, giving them that 23-year-old look, fresh out of the box.
“It’s in our DNA that innovation drives the design approach first,” says Nike Design Director Jesse Leyva. “And from that innovation come these new and exciting expressions of style.”
Groundbreaking in 1985, the red, blue, white, yellow, orange, grey and black are radical today because of their bold simplicity. “For the Spring 2008 Dunks, it’s about bringing those pure colors back to a shoe that has gone everywhere stylistically, and evoking the same strong emotional reactions that the first two-tone Dunks did in ’85,” says Leyva.
Dunk Attributes
Nike was true to its vision of enhancing athletic performance when the Dunk was conceived. It was first and foremost a shoe built to give college players a competitive edge. The lo-profile soles reduced weight, while the shoe’s signature support collar spanned from the heel to the eyestay, providing added ankle stability and protection.
With the spring 2008 collection, the Vintage Dunk gives the look and feel of a vintage shoe again without sacrificing performance. With a yellowing tongue, raw edges (like the ’85 original) and yellowing midsole, the shoe has the aged look fresh out of the box. The Vintage Dunk also features the original linings and foams, vintage look laces, an over-cemented cupsole and a die-cut sockliner.
The Dunks are available at select retailers globally.