There's absolutely no doubt in any sneakerhead's mind that the Nike SB Dunk Low is the shoe of the year. From Ben & Jerry's to Travis Scott , the most hyped collaborations of 2020 are pretty much all built on top of Peter Moore's 1985 icon, and honestly, we're not at all surprised.
A silhouette that's infused with history and heritage at its core, it has since been adopted by numerous subcultures and has become the subject of countless trends throughout the years, and with Nike bringing back a ton of retro models, what if their skateboarding division decided to do so too?
With that said, we've hand picked ten Nike SB Dunk Lows that should definitely make a comeback! From timeless classics to contemporary icons, let's get to it!
Nike SB Dunk Low "Paris" (2002) Back in 2002, Nike hosted their "White Dunk" exhibition in Paris, and to celebrate this event they brought out one of the rarest and most expensive sneakers of all time in the form of the Nike SB Dunk Low "Paris" .
Released as part of the highly coveted "City Series", the upper works on a tan suede base while pieces by French artist Bernard Buffet make their way throughout the canvas construction, resulting in no two pairs looking exactly the same. With only 202 pairs made, there's no wonder that a pair would set you back around £28,000.
Concepts x Nike SB Dunk Low "Yellow Lobster" (2009) In 2008, Nike teamed up with Massachusetts-based retailer Concepts for the "Lobster" Collection. A series of crustacean-inspired creps that would drop throughout a ten year period, the most iconic of the five has got be the Concepts x Nike SB Dunk Low "Yellow Lobster" .
With a vibrant yellow upper and a deep burgundy sole unit, the thing that made the "Yellow Lobster" so iconic was the picnic tablecloth insole and toe box strap which is meant to resemble the rubber bands used to hold lobster claws shut at seafood markets. Want a pair? Then be prepared to shell out £12,000.
Jeff Staple x Nike SB Dunk Low "NYC Pigeon" (2005) If the Swoosh were to bring back any Dunk Low, it would have to be the Jeff Staple x Nike SB Dunk Low "NYC Pigeon" . While the shoe itself is pretty simple from a design standpoint, it unexpectedly became one of the most important sneakers of all time in 2005.
Launching at Staple's Reed Space location in the Lower East Side, the release was mobbed by hundreds and hundreds of sneakerheads. It got so violent to the point that the NYPD arrested around twenty people and the shoe would make the front page of The New York Post the following day. Fifteen years later, they're still some of the rarest trainers ever made at just 150 pairs, so don't be surprised if you have to spend around £11,000.
Nike SB Dunk Low "Freddy Krueger" (2007) A homage to one of the most iconic horror movies ever made, the Nike SB Dunk Low "Freddy Krueger" was scheduled to drop as part of their "Halloween Pack". However, the launch was cancelled when A Nightmare on Elm Street's production company sent the Swoosh a cease and desist letter halting the release.
Over a decade later, we wonder if they would ever be able to work out a deal, as we don't really fancy splashing almost £10,000 for a pair of these, as amazing as they are.
Nike SB Dunk Low "Tokyo" (2004) Two years after the release of the legendary "Paris", Nike's "White Dunk" art exhibit set up shop in the capital of Japan with the Nike SB Dunk Low "Tokyo" . One of the cleanest Dunk Lows in existence, they were sold via an exclusive in-store raffle system in an effort to avoid any potential chaos.
Almost immediately 10,000 tickets were sold, and with only 200 made, there's no wonder that they'll set you back a cool £6,000 per pair.
Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low "Black Cement" (2002) While it's kind of obvious that the Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low "Black Cement" will never ever be brought back, we can only hope and dream. Marking the first time that the Dunk Low was infused with the Air Jordan 3's elephant print, this paved the way to a long and fruitful relationship between the two brands.
On the colourway's 10th anniversay, it was brought back in "Red Cement", so why not bring it back in the OG colourway on its 20th anniversay in 2002? It'll never happen, so if you really want a pair then make sure you've got at least £2,700 just lying around.
Nike SB Dunk Low "Medicom Toy 2" (2004) To celebrate their long-standing collaboration, the Swoosh teamed up with Japanese toy company Medicom Toy in 2004 for the much hyped Nike SB Dunk Low "Medicom Toy 2" .
Featuring a versatile and hard-wearing denim construction, the power duo kept things insanely minimal here, but that hasn't stopped the prices from skyrocketing to around £2,600 apiece. We'd love if they could bring this exact colourway back, as it's probably one of the more wearable ones of the lot.
Nike SB Dunk Low "Heineken" (2003) Possibly one of the most memorable Dunk Low designs ever, sneakerheads all got drunk on Dunk back in 2003 with the launch of the Nike SB Dunk Low "Heineken" . Inspired by the Dutch brewing company's signature green bottles, their iconic star was even embroidered at the heel.
While this is a brilliant homage to the world-famous beer, Heineken weren't too fond with it and asked Nike to halt all production effective immediately. In fact, they even went as far as to ask eBay sellers to take down their listings too. With that said, if you've got a casual £2,100 lying about then you should be able to cop no problem.
Diamond Supply Co. x Nike SB Dunk Low "Tiffany" (2005) While Nicky Diamond has brought back the Diamond Supply Co. x Nike SB Dunk Low "Tiffany" in some form or another over the years, they've never captured the same magic as the original. One of the most iconic Dunks ever made, it was inspired by the Tiffany & Co.'s signature "Tiffany blue" hue.
Decked out in crocodile skin, it was brought back in a high-top variant a few years later, followed by a "Canary Yellow" version in 2018 which caused two days of rioting. All we want is the OG though and we don't want to spend £1,500 on a pair. Is that too hard to ask?
Stüssy x Nike SB Dunk Low "Cherry" (2005) And last but not least, we have the Stüssy x Nike SB Dunk Low "Cherry" . With the recent resurgence of this collab this year, what would it take for Shawn Stussy to bring back this legendary colourway? Inspired by Neapolitan ice cream, these launch in 2005 as part of the "Team Manager" Series.
Creamy Swooshes glide across the lateral and medial side panels, and the cherry on top is literally the cherry on top, as a single red dot graces the tongue to represent the delicious fruit. While these certainly aren't as expensive as the rest of the list, you'll still need to part from around £1,300 if you want a pair in your personal collection.
And that's that! What other Nike SB Dunk Lows do you think should make a comeback? Let us know what's on your mind, and while you're here, you might as well check out the 25 best Nike SB colourways of all time !