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History of The Nike Dunk: Explained

One of the hottest sneakers on the market right now is the Nike Dunk.

By ElenaPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
Photo by Sneakers123 on Unsplash

One of the hottest sneakers on the market right now is the Nike Dunk. For those seeking a chic, casual sneaker, the Dunk is a must-have because of its adaptability and simplicity. To find out more about the history of the Nike Dunk, keep reading.

A court-made product

In 1985, the Nike Dunk High was introduced. Originally, it was designed to be a high-top basketball sneaker. The Air Force 1 and the Air Jordan 1 were two other Nike creations from the time period that the Nike Dunk High was related to. For Nike, the marketing for the Dunk High was distinctive. Nike advertised using the tagline "Be True To Your School." The Dunk was conceptualized as a sneaker that collegiate basketball players, players' supporters, and fans could all wear. At the time, Nike had agreements in place with the Universities of Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Georgetown, St. John's, UNLV, and Syracuse. All of these collegiate behemoths adopted the Nike Dunk as their uniform footwear. Nike Dunks in the colors of the winning teams were given to each institution.

When it initially came out, the Nike Dunk was a popular sneaker. It received a lot of support because of its vivid color schemes and connections to some of the most prestigious institutions in the world. The Dunk High had a potent but brief start. Nike immediately outperformed the Dunk High in terms of design and innovation. Its general applicability started to wane.

By the time the 1990s arrived, the Nike Dunk High was widely available in second hand stores, flea markets, and family gatherings. It's common for a product to lose popularity with mainstream customers, but for the Nike Dunk High, it opened up a whole new market.

Approved for skating

As soon as the public lost interest in them, skaters began to fall in love with the Nike Dunk High. Particularly in the 1990s, skaters' rebellious character prevented them from adopting the fashionable or popular Nike sneakers. Skaters could get a pair of Nike Dunks for a reasonable price in the early 1990s. The shoes also provided the durability and support that skaters needed. Skateboarders were particularly attracted to Nike Dunks because the majority of customers were no longer interested in them.

Nike intended to establish itself in the market as skating and skateboarding gained in popularity. Initially, Nike had trouble connecting with the culture. Nike wasn't yet aware of how the society was enjoying the Dunk. But when Nike found it out, they figured it out in a huge manner, as is customary with them.

Nike modified the Dunk High in 1998, making it much more of a skate shoe and less of a basketball shoe. The nylon tongue was replaced, greatly improving the profile for skating. The original hues and those that were evocative of the OGS were manufactured, while the sneakers' design stayed the same. With a few skate-related improvements, the Dunk's comeback was able to appeal to the skate demographic that Nike was after.

Beginnings of Nike SB

The Dunk Low Pro B and Dunk Low CO.JP versions were debuted by Nike in 1999. The West Coast and Japan both have the styles in stock. A local experiment with The Dunks was being conducted. Premium materials, textures, colors, and designs were used in the creation of the Dunk Low Pro B and Dunk Low CO.JP models. The internet began to take center stage in sneaker news and excitement as the Dunk gained prominence in the late 1990s.

The geographically unique Dunks were starting to catch on as a trend and a big subject on forums and sneaker blogs. The Dunk was a huge topic of discussion among sneakerheads from all over the world who were connected through the internet. In 2001, Sandy Bodecker was named general manager of Nike SB. The formal introduction of Nike SB, a subsidiary of Nike devoted to skateboarding, took place in 2002. The SB Dunk Low was also debuted with the founding of Nike SB. The Low ultimately rose to become maybe Nike SB's most well-liked model.

Bodecker was Nike's Vice President of Special Projects before taking on Nike Skate, where he strengthened Nike's soccer branch. Bodecker struck up chats with proprietors of skate shops to ensure that he had a thorough understanding of the neighborhood. The expansion of Nike SB demonstrated Nike's growing understanding of skateboarding culture.

Inspiration never runs low

One of Nike's most well-liked sub-brands at the moment is Nike SB. Youth culture and skate culture continue to love it. Over the past 20 years, Nike SB has produced some of the most recognizable and popular Nike sneakers. What makes Nike SB's brand so unique are its originality and audacious fashion choices. For Nike's well-liked subsidiary, there is no lack of ideas.

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About the Creator

Elena

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