Made For The Court

The Nike Dunk High was released in 1985. It was originally crafted as a high top basketball sneaker. The Nike Dunk High was similar to other Nike designs of the era – like the Air Force 1 and the Air Jordan 1. The marketing behind the Dunk High was unique for Nike. Nike used the slogan “Be True To Your School” for advertisements. The Dunk was conceived conceptually as a shoe that could be worn by college basketball teams and their fans. Nike had deals in place at the time with the University of Iowa, University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, Georgetown, St. John’s, UNLV, and Syracuse. These collegiate powerhouse schools all embraced the Nike Dunk as its team shoes. Each school received a pair of Nike Dunks that utilized their team colors.

Embraced For Skate

Skaters fell in love with the Nike Dunk High as soon as the public fell out of love with them. The rebellious nature of skaters, especially in the 1990s, kept them from embracing the popular or trendy Nike sneakers. In the early 90s skaters could pick up a pair of Nike Dunks for cheap. The shoes also offered the support and durability skaters were looking for. The fact that most consumers were no longer interested in Nike Dunks, was a major appeal to skateboarders.

The Birth Of Nike SB

In 1999 Nike introduced the Dunk Low Pro B and Dunk Low CO.JP models. The styles were available in the West Coast and in Japan. The Dunks were being used as a regional experiment. The Dunk Low Pro B and Dunk Low CO.JP models utilized premium materials, textures, colors, and design. As the Dunk grew in popularity during the late 90s, the internet started to play a prominent role in sneaker news and hype. The regionally exclusive Dunks were becoming a trend and hot topic on sneaker websites and forums. The internet was connecting sneakerheads across the globe, and the Dunk was a major focus of their discourse.