The Parra x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Abstract Art’ brings together Dutch artist Piet Parra and Nike to pick up from where they left off in the Parra x Blazer Low back in 2019. Celebrating skateboarding’s debut as an official sport at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the Parra x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Abstract Art’ features Parra’s iconic tones and abstract patterns. The design is brighter and bolder than its predecessor, with the street artist’s signature style rendering the classic silhouette in Royal Blue, Fire Pink, Gym Red and white.
The pro dunks come with a white nubuck leather base, with the iconic printed suede overlays covering the mudguard, eyestays, heel, heel tab and tongue trim of the shoes. The overlays can be torn away or worn out over time to reveal another design underneath. Black Swooshes on each side of the shoes balances out the striking colors, and a miniature white Swoosh can be found embroidered near the toe. Rounding up the look are blue sockliners, white midsoles and gum rubber outsoles that gives these dunks a retro-looking vibe.
The inaugural edition of the massive “THE 50” collaboration by none other than Virgil Abloh’s Off-White, is the Off-White x Nike Dunk Low ‘Lot 01 of 50’. The first pair of the ‘Dear Summer’ collection, the Lot 1 comes dressed with crisp white canvas and leather uppers with a shiny metallic silver Swoosh can be found on the sides.
The highlight of the Lot 1 is the Flywire cables zigzagging on top of white shoelaces held down by mint green eyelets that are strategically placed around the shoes.The mostly white colorway sits on top of a pre-yellowed midsole that is pair with an exposed tongue foam to give the shoes a vintage look. Final signature touches include a white plastic zip tie and lines of Helvetica text graphics printed on the medial side.
Virgil Abloh explains that the collection explores the Off-White motto of “defining the grey area between black and white.” With that, it is only fitting that the final pair out of 50 in the Off-White x Nike Dunk Low collection is the black colored Off-White x Dunk Low 'Lot 50 of 50', The black colored sneakers stand out from the rest that a dressed in a grey and white base, and the white colored Lot 1 that kicked off the collection. .The Lot 50 and Lot 1 were only exclusively available at Off-White stores, while Lots 2 to 49 were available on the Nike SNKRS Exclusive Access.
This retro silhouette is crafted with a mix of black canvas and leather upper, and a silver metallic Swoosh on the side. As with the other pairs in the series, the Lot 50 also comes with an exposed foam tongue, plastic zip tie, and Helvetica text printed on the sides. A splash of color can be found on the purple tab on the Swoosh, and purple badge on the midsole indicating this colorway is the 50 of 50 edition in the series.
The ever popular “What The Dunk” has made the “What The” collage-like designs highly sought after by sneaker collectors worldwide. It is only fitting that legendary pro skateboarder Paul Rodriguez, also known as P-Rod, gets a signature shoe in this series with the Nike Dunk Low SB “What the Paul” done with the same concept. One of the most meaningful dunk releases of the year, the “What the Paul” is distillation of the skater’s entire career thus far into one shoe, making it extremely special.
The “What The'' method of styling brings in an exciting collage of textures, patterns, and colors that utilises elements and colorways of 16 of the skater’s past sneaker projects, as a homage to his long standing partnership with Nike. The graphics on the left toebox mimics the 2006 Stash x Nike SB P-Rod, while the right sports colorful embroidered textures from the P-Rod 1 “Mexican Blanket”. The elephant print overlays are reminiscent of the 2005 Jordan x Nike SB P-Rod 1 Elite “J-Rod”, with bright red and blue quilted interior liners inspired by the P-Rod 2. The rainbow gradient Swoosh on the left is carried over from the P-Rod 2 “PlayStation” colorway, adding to the myriad of colors and textures. The rich history and meaning of the Nike Dunk Low SB “What the Paul '' brings this pair to the high up on our list of top Nike Dunks of the year.
The Nike Dunk is a classic silhouette that continues to capture the heart of fans year after year. Most of the Dunks in this list are rare, and the prices will likely only go up from here. Better cop these kicks before they become even harder to get in the upcoming years.