A Definitive History of Stüssy x Nike Collaborations

Stüssy and Nike. Two absolute powerhouses in the world of sneakers and streetwear that hold an impressive history of teaming up for collaborative projects. First joining forces all the way back in 2000, the duo have worked on plenty of familiar silhouettes over the years, as well as some lesser-seen models that you might not even know about. From hyped releases such as the Nike SB Dunk Low “Cherry” from back in 2005, right through to the weird and wonderful such as the “S&S” collection from 2012, they’ve done it all and still manage to reign supreme amongst sneakerheads and fashion aficionados.

Here at The Sole Supplier we pride ourselves on our excellent and encyclopaedic sneaker knowledge, so we’ve delved deep into the archives and compiled this definitive list of every Stüssy x Nike footwear collaboration to date, meaning that you can brush up on your facts and even share them with your friends! So without further ado, let’s jump right into it.

The Stüssy and Nike story first dates all the way back to the year 2000, actually starting out in London. Stüssy UK’s Michael Koppelman approached Nike employee Fraser Cooke regarding creating a special-edition version of their favourite Nike sneaker to be sold in the Stüssy UK store. The result was the Stüssy x Nike Air Huarache LE, launched in two clean colourways. Not bearing any visible Stüssy branding, both “Desert Oak” and “Dark Olive” renditions saw the light of day, birthing what would go on to be an epic partnership for many years to come.

2001 saw the first “official” collaboration between Stüssy and Nike, a capsule that was also Nike’s first-ever partnership with a clothing company. Using the Nike Dunk High as the silhouette of choice, the duo knocked up two colourways (black and brown) and launched them exclusively via Stüssy chapter stores in NY, London, LA and Tokyo. The kicks launched over a two week period with 24 pairs available in each store per day (12 per colourway), with reports stating that each store saw long lines every morning until stock was eventually depleted.

After the incredible success of the Stüssy x Nike Dunk, the two powerhouses joined forces once again a year later to work on another legendary silhouette - the Nike Blazer Mid. Also a popular choice amongst skateboarders at the time, the kicks launched in two colourways (blue/pink and grey/green) and were crafted from premium leather throughout. Still incredibly sought-after by sneakerheads and Stüssy collectors across the world today, these sneakers remain a definitive classic.

Originally launched in 1993, the Air Huarache Light is a slimmed-down version of Tinker Hatfield’s classic running silhouette, which eventually saw a retro release in 2002. In 2003, Stüssy and the Swoosh brand released two colourways of the silhouette (orange and green) to continue their collaboration. An incredibly-limited number of pairs featured the Stüssy logo embroidered onto the lateral side of the sneakers, marking the first time Nike ever produced sneakers bearing another brand’s logo. These pairs were gifted to friends and family and were never cleared for a public release, making them some of the rarest kicks in existence.

By 2005 Nike SB had already become a force to be reckoned with in the sneaker scene, with the SB Dunk Low taking the world by storm. July 2005 saw the Swoosh’s skateboarding division launch the “Manager Series”, allowing industry team managers to design their own sneakers. Robbie Jeffers of Stüssy decked out the SB Dunk Low in a brown, pink and white look, allegedly inspired by neapolitan ice cream. Complete with cherry details on the tongue tabs, these are one of the most desirable SB releases to ever have launched.

To celebrate Stüssy's 25th anniversary the label teamed up with a variety of brands including G-Shock, Vans and Levi’s, although they also tapped Nike to help design a special-edition version of the Nike Court Force, a lesser-seen basketball silhouette. Four colourways were released dedicated to New York, London, Tokyo and LA, with special features including Stüssy Tom Tom print on the laterals, XXV toe clips and city-print insoles.

Stüssy launched its World Tour project in 2006, inviting 40 artists to help collaborate on the iconic World Tour T-shirt. As part of this project, Nike also contributed to the cause, launching limited-edition versions of the Dunk High, Free Trail 5.0 and the Trainer Dunk Low. Nine different colourways launched in total with all featuring incredibly premium build fabrics such as ostrich skin, buffalo plaid and thick leather. Other notable touches included ACG-style laces and Cordura fabric panels.

Stüssy teamed up with legendary Japanese streetwear label Neighborhood in 2008 to launch the “Boneyards” collection, and also invited Nike to take part in the collaboration, debuting three colourways of the Blazer Mid and arguably birthing the three-way partnership system often seen in the present day. Red, blue and white colourways released with all three bearing custom graphics. These kicks launched alongside a full apparel collection and are rarely seen on the market.

Following closely behind the Blazer pack was the Stüssy x Neighborhood x Nike Terminator “Boneyards”. Originally developed as a basketball sneaker, the Terminator is without a doubt one of the lesser-seen models in Nike’s back catalogue, although it’s seen here decked out in premium leather and bearing custom branding. Launched in black, black/white and royal blue, these kicks proved immensely popular with hardcore sneaker and streetwear fans back in the day.

Released to mark Stüssy's 30th anniversary, the Stüssy x Nike All Court Mid “XXX” pack offered up a fresh take on the classic courtside sneaker, with oversized Swoosh logos showcasing a faux-animal print look. Both black and white colourways hit shelves across the globe, while a royal blue version was reserved for friends and family. Highlights across these kicks include the SS logo embroidered onto the tongues and thick rubber toe caps. Nike Destroyer jackets and custom-branded T-shirts were released alongside this pack.

2011 saw Stüssy and Nike link up once again to work on the Sky Force 88 Mid, a rarely-seen basketball silhouette. Launched in four different colourways, the sneakers were crafted from canvas and featured an altered version of the Sky Force logo on the tongues that instead showcased the famous SS logo. Colourways included beige, green camo, black camo and triple black.

The S&S collection from 2012 tapped into outdoor footwear, showcasing silhouettes reminiscent of Nike’s popular ACG line. Silhouettes included the Dunk High OMS, the Lunar Braata Mid OMS and the Mogan II OMS. High-performance technologies such as Lunarlon and Nike Free adorned all of the kicks, with the capsule’s tagline stating that these were created for sand, snow and street. All models featured the SS logo on the tongue and are now incredibly hard to track down should you desire to own a pair.

A popular silhouette amongst those who were in the sneaker scene at the time, the Trainerendor Low acted as the blank canvas for Nike’s 2013 effort with Stüssy. Designed to be lightweight and rugged, the kicks featured a Velcro strap across the forefoot and were also intended to be multi-purpose, suitable for training, skateboarding and even snowboarding. Two colourways hit the market and consequently proved popular with sneakerheads around the globe.

As we edge closer towards recent years, it’s hard not to acknowledge just how clean that 2015 Stüssy x Nike Air Max 95 package was. Working on Sergio Lozano’s legendary 1995 runner for the first time, the two brands offered up three incredibly wearable colourways that proved popular with sneaker fans from all walks of life. Black, olive green and navy versions all featured the SS logo on the tongue tabs, while white midsole units encased visible Air Max cushioning for plenty of comfort at all times.

Joining forces with Nike SB once again for the first time since 2005, Stüssy enlisted the help of professional skaters Kevin Terpening (aka TERPS) and Lance Mountain to launch both low and mid top versions of the Blazer SB. The group worked together to create durable kicks suited for the high-impact sport of skateboarding while also retaining the label’s laid-back stylings. These pairs featured the famous World Tour logo on the tongue tabs for the first time.

After a two-year hiatus, the two labels collided once again to reimagine a forgotten silhouette from the early 2000s. Designed by the legendary Steven Smith, the runners feature a unique caged upper and were crafted from a head-turning hemp-like material for this limited-edition release. The “Fossil” colourway launched initially and was incredibly well-received, followed up by the “Black” colourway several months later. Still popular amongst sneaker collectors today, these kicks will set you back well over the original retail price on the secondary market.

After the success of the aforementioned release, Stüssy and Nike dug out another retro training silhouette from the archives, this time in the form of the Zoom Spiridon Kukini Cage 2. Combining Spiridon design language with the uppers of the Nike Air Kukini, this hybrid silhouette was only available for a brief period in the early 2000s, meaning many sneakerheads had never seen this silhouette before at the time of release. Both black and white colourways launched and subsequently sold out.

Launched alongside the Stüssy x Nike Zoom Spiridon Kukini Cage 2 was a selection of Benassi slides, the fitting footwear choice for Stüssy's relaxed beachwear aesthetic. Each pair boasted Stüssy's signature World Tour logo on the forefoot and plenty of padding underfoot to allow these to act as the perfect off-duty footwear option.

Believe it or not, 2020 was the first time that Stüssy decided to use the legendary Air Force 1 silhouette as the blank canvas for its latest collaborative release. A fashion staple since 1982, the AF1 was decked out in both “Fossil” and “Black” and crafted from the same hemp-like fabric that was previously seen on the Zoom Spiridon Caged. Coming complete in special-edition packaging, this release was favoured by plenty of sneakerheads and remains a modern classic even today. The kicks are completed with bling-style logos on the heels and iconic Stüssy motifs on the tongues.

Fast forward to early 2021 and Nike was beginning to reissue plenty of classic Air Huarache colourways to pay homage to the classic runner, including accurate retro releases of the Stüssy x Nike Air Huarache LE pack that kicked off the partnership 21 years prior. Once again bearing no visible Stüssy branding, new-age sneakerheads around the globe were delighted to finally get their hands on what was otherwise a widely unavailable pair.

While things remained quiet for the rest of 2021, our two favourite labels linked up once again in 2022 to release brand-new variants of the AF1. This time around working on the mid-top version of the classic sneaker, those who missed out on the lows were grateful for another opportunity to cop. Launched in “Fossil”, “Black” and “Black/White”, the sneakers featured Stüssy wordmark logos embroidered onto the Velcro tongue straps as well as textured Swoosh logos.

Unreleased at the time of writing, Stüssy's latest effort in collaboration with Nike offers up a rarely-seen running silhouette in the form of the Nike Air Max 2013. Bearing design traits from the AM2015 in the form of the reverse Swoosh branding, so far we’ve seen teased images of the sneakers in “Fossil”, “Black” and “Pink”. Other key details include a full-length Air Max midsole and Stüssy logo tabs on the lateral sides.

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