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History of the Nike Dunk: Three Decades of a Cultural Phenomenon

Lifestyle

History of the Nike Dunk: Three Decades of a Cultural Phenomenon

Jul 1, 2024

The past several years have been a comeback story of sorts for the Nike Dunk. But let’s start from the beginning — what are Dunks, and how did Nike dream them up? And how did they make the roundabout journey from the basketball court to the skate park to the all-purpose kicks many of us are rocking today? Allow us to hit you with a breakdown of all things Nike Dunk history.

Michigan Dunk Low Collegiate Colorway

When Did Dunks Come Out?

1985 was a blowout year for basketball sneakers, with the first Nike Dunks rolled out the same year as the Air Jordan 1. Both designed by Peter Moore, the Air Jordan 1 was marketed to Michael Jordan fans, and the Dunks catered directly to NCAA athletes and fans. 

The Nike Dunk High was a stylistic mash-up from the beginning, lifting elements from AJ 1s and the Nike Terminator and combining them into a new court-focused shoe. It was designed for traction and agility — two elements that would eventually make it a signature shoe far away from the hardwood.

A Colorful Campaign

The shoe’s original moniker was the College Color High, so named for Nike’s plan to entice college fans by rolling out the basketball sneakers in a variety of collegiate colorways. Before its release, however, Nike changed the name to the more punchy “Dunk” in honor of the anniversary of the slam dunk.

The first Nike Dunk ad campaign featured the slogan “Be True to Your School” as the sneakers launched in 12 key college colorways — from Georgetown and Syracuse to Iowa and Arizona. The campaign was a reasonable success, but it wasn’t long before dunks started to fall under the high-flying shadow of the Air Jordan 1. 

While Dunks continued to sell modestly, it became increasingly clear that the basketball court wouldn’t be their long-term home. Instead, a subculture that was only starting to creep onto the mainstream radar in the late ‘80s would adopt them, and inspire Nike to reinvent them in the process.

Hoops to Handrails: Nike Dunk SB History

Hoops to Handrails: Nike Dunk SB History

It’s hard to remember a time when skateboarding culture wasn’t in the mainstream. But in the late ’80s and early ’90s, skaters started to realize that the superb traction and low-profile midsole made Nike Dunks incredible skate shoes. It wasn’t long before every skate rat at the park had a pair of low-top Dunks criss-crossed with the battle scars of a thousand attempted kickflips. 

In 2002, Nike recognized the growing trend and responded with the Nike Dunk SB Low — a skate-specific version of the OG basketball shoe that featured strategic padding and traction for boarders. (Yes, if you’ve always wondered what “Nike SB” means, it stands for “Skateboarding.” The more you know!) 

The SB Dunk Low introduced several changes that made it an instant hit with skaters, including extra padding throughout the shoe and a Zoom Air unit in the heel. Nike being Nike, they also signed a team of exciting young skaters and dropped several exclusive SB Dunk Low colorways, turning the craze into an all-out frenzy. Their designers continued to refine the shoe throughout the 2000s, including launching mid- and high-top Nike Dunk SB models. 

Nike Dunk Hi 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Cool Collabs

Dunks have been around for more than 30 years now, and if they were never the Swoosh’s most popular model, that fact may have actually increased their appeal among the cool kids. Artists, musicians, fashion designers and influencers have collaborated with the brand, teaming up on collectible SB Dunk colorways since the early 2000s. 

In fact, Dunks were some of the first Nike shoes to put collaborations with brands, artists, and fashion houses on the map. A few of the best Dunks of all time (at least in terms of collaborations) include:

  • French painter Bernard Buffet’s 2003 Nike SB Dunk Low “Paris” rendition.
  • 2005’s Diamond Supply Co. x Nike SB Low “Tiffany” colorway.
  • 2004’s Dunk SB High “U.N.K.L.E.” rendition collaboration with the band U.N.K.L.E..
  • The 2017 COMME des GARÇONS x Nike Dunk High collab.

Other high-profile collaborators have included the Wu-Tang Clan, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, legendary designer Virgil Abloh and — of course — rapper, record producer and number-one Dunks fan, Travis Scott.

A Bright Nike Dunk Future

A Bright Nike Dunk Future

It was Travis Scott who was snapped wearing (and hyping) vintage Dunks in late 2019. As the trend grew among rappers and other influencers, Nike began launching a robust rollout of Nike Dunks in high, low and mid cut renditions in a variety of classic and new colorways. This culminated in Cactus Jack himself launching a signature line of Dunks, some of which now go for astronomical prices among streetwear resellers.

The renewed popularity of Nike Dunks means highly coveted launches in a range of sizes and palettes. Keep your eye out for both standby styles and new Dunk pack releases offered online and in stores at Hibbett. Want to make sure you can cop the latest launch? Check out our strategy guide for exclusive drops here!

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