Nike SB Dunk Skate Shoes
Nike SB Dunks arrived in 2005 and basically turned the skateboarding world upside down, proving that a basketball shoe from 1985 could become skateboarding's most coveted silhouette. What started as Nike's attempt to create a proper skate shoe became something much bigger – a cultural phenomenon that had kids camping outside shops.
The magic was in the details: Zoom Air units in the heel for impact protection, a puffy tongue that actually served a purpose, and colorways that ranged from subtle to absolutely mental. Collabs with shops like Supreme, Concepts, and local skate stores turned each release into an event. Sure, the hype sometimes overshadowed the skating, but when riders like Paul Rodriguez and Stefan Janoski were putting them through their paces, it was clear these weren't just collector's items – they were legitimate skate shoes that happened to look incredible.