The golden age of sneaker colorways on retro models came during the early 2000s when Nike’s two 80’s born silhouettes (the Air Force 1 and Dunk) were the undisputed champs of the sneaker game. The Air Force 1 Low in particular owns a bulk of the credit for sparking the collector craze, giving the Dunk (in Pro and SB form) the opportunity to create a string of inspired colorways on its own. Interestingly enough, the Dunk and the Air Force 1 Low never really crossed paths, but rather ascended on parallel routes as the Air Force 1 was more “street” while the Dunk was more “skate”; that explains the strange tendency of sticking with one or another, although there are plenty out there that showed both models some love.
With both the Dunk and Air Force 1 getting a burst of new energy after a few years of quietude, Nike has chosen to amplify this second coming of sorts with these “cross-over” releases of the Dunk High. We’re talking specifically about the “Cocoa Snake” joints and the recently surfaced “Linen” and “Acorn” colorways – two simple GRs that stand out above any sort of neon, glow-in-the-dark, speckled, or patent leather release. Needless to say, the thought of transplanting these legendary colorways from the Air Force 1 to the Dunk might not sit well with some hardcore Air Force 1 fans, but it’s given Dunk fans some reason to celebrate.
This leaves us wondering how deep Nike Sportswear plans on creeping down the catalog of Air Force 1 classics, and if the reverse treatment will ever happen. Will a Nike Dunk High “Mushroom” or “Wheat” be well received? How about a Nike Air Force 1 Low “Viotech” or something from the SB chronicles like a “Supa”? Let’s hear what you think about this sudden cross-over effect and let us know what dream colorways of the Air Force 1 or Dunk you’d like to see go down.