Nike’s ‘Rooted in Peace’ Dunk shoe draws inspiration from Japanese gardening

Nike has tried its best to satiate Dunk hype by releasing a new iteration of the sneaker seemingly every week. Now, after a slew of more basic designs, the Swoosh has unveiled a “Rooted in Peace” Dunk Low, pulling design inspiration from Japanese gardening. The themed sneaker takes on earth tones, jade green accents, and a debossed peace sign graphic to convey its message of serenity.

With Nike rolling out Dunks at a relentless pace, not all of its designs can be winners. Recent releases have focused on classic two-tone makeups, most likely to appease as many shoppers at once as possible. The Swoosh’s latest Dunk model, on the other hand, stands out by channeling what made us fall in love with the silhouette in the first place: Creative themes, colorful designs, and an underlying story. And with Dunk hype at its peak, this sneaker is sure to be converted by not just sneakerheads, but the masses too.

Rooted in culture — Every aspect of the new Dunk Low has been altered to pay homage to the art of Japanese gardening. Tan suede overlays dress up a dark denim upper, which sports white sashiko-reminiscent embroidery throughout its mid-foot and rear panels. A white leather Swoosh complements the embroidery on each side of the sneaker.

To nod to the jade plant, and the use of jade in Japanese culture, jade green accents have been added atop the toebox, tongue, and heel. The heel panel boasts matching green embossed Nike branding.

The most obvious thematic tribute comes at the lateral heel region, where a debossed peace sign, partially made up of root graphics, can be seen. Moving underfoot, the shoe is completed with a white midsole and semi-translucent gum bottom.

More than just a sneaker — Details only continue in the Dunk Low’s packaging, with its shoeboxonm will containing more than just a pair of sneakers. Each “Rooted in Peace” pair will come with five garden-inspired pins — shown decorating the sneaker’s laces — and a matching bandana embellished with gardening-themed motifs like scissors and stones. All elements are housed within a special box, too, which takes on the same minimalistic design.

Nike has yet to announce a drop date for the Dunk Low, but official imagery suggests the silhouette will arrive on SNKRS soon. Despite the shoe’s more in-depth design, it’s slated to retail at the usual Dunk price of $100 — but know it will most likely be subjected to SNKRS’ lottery-based draw. Of course, the “Rooted in Peace” sneaker is all about keeping cool, so try your best not to throw a fit if you catch another L at the hands of Nike’s whims.