Amid waning enthusiasm for its products, Supreme has revealed a collaboration sure to satisfy critics and hypebeasts alike. Combining its own exclusivity with that of Nike’s, the streetwear brand has crafted three color schemes of an SB Dunk High sneaker, decked out in motifs dedicated to New York City.
Supreme’s long-running partnership with Nike has already put forward some of the best sneakers out there, including a star-covered Dunk Low and an upcoming pair of Shox Ride 2. Since 2019, however, demand for Nike’s Dunk models has been insatiable — and adding Supreme’s name to the drop only adds to its covetability. Although it’s been noted that both Supreme and the Dunk sneaker have lost their initial hype by snuffing out exclusivity with a lineup of product, this partnership may be enough to get into hypebeast’s good graces.
NY <3 Supreme —
Official photos of the SB Dunk High were leaked last October, revealing Supreme’s text-heavy NYC theme. Taking inspiration from The New Yorker’s iconic font, the sneakers spell out “By Any Means Necessary” at the heel, interrupting the phrase with an “NY” Nike logo done up in varsity letters. More text sits just about the heel pull, spelling out “Supreme Team” in a cursive font. At the side of the Dunk, a “No <3” graphic nods to (or disses) the famous “I <3 NY” motif, as more varsity font appears on the tongue label, spelling out the word “SUP.”
There seems to be no word limit on Supreme’s SB Dunks, which stand out among previous designs that have focused on switching up shades and graphics rather than adding text. Still, the streetwear brand has dressed up the sneaker in classic colors to make its wordy makeup more appealing. The initially leaked pair, black with white overlays, arrives alongside a yellow and green pair and a red and navy pair. Each comes with a removable co-branded tag which reads “World Famous” — a phrase that encapsulates both Supreme and Nike’s reputations, as well as the reason why each is losing its hype.
Coming this week —
Supreme’s trio of Nike SB Dunks is expected to release at 11 a.m. ET on March 3, with pairs available on the streetwear brand’s website and in-stores. Prices for the footwear have yet to be announced, but it’s guaranteed each pair will resell for thousands: Nike and Supreme may be draining their appeal, but there’s always someone out there willing to pay big for what little hype is left.
