2020: New year, new kicks

It’s a new decade, fellow sneakerheads. How are your resolutions holding up? If yours are in the same vein as any of these:

1. Actually wear the shoes I already own
2. Don’t spend the big bucks on hyped sneakers (unless they’re 100% worth it)
3. Learn more about sneaker history and culture

…then look no further. We’re here to drop some red hot knowledge on the best sneakers for you, so that you can be informed and stay on form.

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Rising to – and eventually fading from –prominence in the early 21st century, Nike’s SB Dunks are in the midst of a renaissance period, with some even saying that 2020 is the year of the Dunk.

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They first hit the shelves in 1980s, following the release of Air Jordan 1, and were designed to showcase Nike’s relationship with college level basketball, outfitting some of the biggest programs of the NCAA. Despite this, the shoe failed to gather much steam back then and was archived for over a decade.

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The Dunks peeped out again in 1998, but only truly caught people’s attention in 2002, thanks to a skate-inspired shoe released by Nike’s fledgling SB department as a tie-up with none other than Supreme. This then led to multiple collaborations - a groundbreaking strategy at the time that allowed both brands reach new milestones. Nike SB even made history with their charity endeavor in 2003, the eBay Dunk Low, in which a special pair of Dunks was cut into quarters and available for bidding, ultimately selling for $30,000. All proceeds were donated to the Tim Brauch Foundation and Skaters for Portland Skate Parks.

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With the numerous collabs, colourways, and editions of Dunks stacking up the store shelves, eventually the inevitable happened. Boredom. People grew tired of the style and in the 2010s we didn’t really seethe Dunks much. Its status swiftly changed from an overused canvas to a sleeper.

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2018 brought about a revival of the style with fresh, new collaborations, thanks in part to sneaker culture’s insatiable desire for nostalgia.

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Next, entered Virgil Abloh. The most influential sneaker designer in the world teamed up with Nike to unveil his “The Ten”collection in 2017 and the hype was white-hot. December 2019 saw him drop the Off-White x Nike Dunk Low in colourways inspired by the OG versions, with Abloh’s signature add-ons, and the silhouette with its ubiquitous design popped up on everyone’s radar. The Dunks were spotted on famous people’s feet, see: Travis Scott, LeBron James, and Kyrie Irving. The increase in sneakerheads’ interest meant that the re-release of certain OG styles had to be shut down not once, but twice due to the chaotic demand for the shoe.

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It seems likely that the Dunks are back for a new generation. The newest collaboration with Travis Scott showed a sneak preview of the style in his crew’s “Jackboys” music video. Rumours of another collab with Japanese label Ambush have been in the air, sending sparks of excitement within the sneaker community and, quite naturally, causing a stir in the resale market.  

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Whether The Swoosh decides to have a host of collaborations lined up for the style this year, or to tap into their already-known and much-loved discography of original drops, it doesn’t matter; the stage is set for the Dunk, and it will probably continue making waves until its 20th anniversary in 2022.

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