Ahead of the Tokyo Summer Olympics, Nike SB unveils a lineup of specially designed Dunks that celebrate skateboarding culture and the sport’s debut on the big stage. This includes the Parra Dunk Low, FTC Dunk Low, Quartersnacks Dunk Low, and two Gundam Dunk Highs.
The celebration kicks off with a Piet Parra-designed Dunk Low. It features the Dutch artist’s signature turquoise, magenta, and pink color palette to coordinate with the Parra-designed Federation kits. Weaving wavy geometrics and swirling colors on the overlays are balanced by a clean white base, a black truncated Swoosh, and a gum rubber outsole.
The FTC Dunk draws inspiration from Japan’s historic public bathhouses, which remain integral community spaces for people to recharge, refresh, and escape. Crystal-blue suede represents water. while the icy-white leather and its tile-like texture represents enamel floor tiles. The shoe also features a terry cloth lining to mimic the texture of towels, while the yellow accents represent the yellow plastic baskets typically found at bathhouses. A hidden detail is the 湯 (“Yu”) symbol on the inside of the tongue, meaning “hot water.”
As a celebration of New York City’s skateboarding culture, Nike SB has partnered with heritage skate mag Quartersnacks on a new Dunk Low. The name Quartersnacks is inspired by the simpler days of being a kid, where nothing mattered besides skating and hitting up the corner store to recharge with a 25¢ snack cake. The Quartersnacks Dunk Low features a zebra stripe pattern as a nod to Little Debbie’s Zebra Cakes, one of the many go-to junk food items for young skaters.
Lastly, we have two Dunk Highs inspired by one of the most famous toys in Japan, the Bandai Gundam. Both feature interchangeable Swoosh decals — an homage to the customizable nature of the toy models and stickers one puts on a skateboard. New panels and layers were added to create a depth and complexity referencing the Gundam suit. The two colorways reference two models from the Gundam Unicorn saga: the white-based RX-0 and the black Banshee Norn.
Check out Nike SB’s Tokyo Summer Olympics Dunk lineup below. Stay tuned to Modern Notoriety as release info for each pair is announced.
Parra x Nike SB Dunk Low
Style Code: DH7695-600
Release Date: Summer 2021
FTC x Nike SB Dunk Low
Color: White/Lagoon Pulse-Metallic Silver-Speed Yellow
Style Code: DH7687-400
Release Date: Summer 2021
Quartersnacks x Nike SB Dunk Low
Release Date: Summer 2021
Bandai Gundam x Nike SB Dunk High “RX-0”
Style Code: DH7717-100
Release Date: Summer 2021
Bandai Gundam x Nike SB Dunk High “Banshee Norn”
Release Date: Summer 2021
