Style
Virgil Abloh's Off-White Nike Rubber Dunk sneaker is dropping soon
You'll have three colors to choose from next week.
Virgil Abloh first debuted his Off-White x Nike Rubber Dunk in February and New York Fashion Week. Few appearances for the hybrid sneaker followed, but now it's been officially confirmed for an October 1 release.
The latest Off-White x Nike collaboration combines the Dunk with elements from the Pegasus line. As the name suggests, rubber elements feature throughout the upper. And in a departure from the Dunk line, an exposed Air unit sits toward the heel. The idea is to combine Nike's legacy of technical innovation for running, of which the Pegasus has been a part of, with its history of experimentation with skateboarding.
Good things arrive in threes — In addition to the Black, White, and Green Strike color variant Abloh first wore, the Rubber Dunk will also release in Gold/Black and White/University Blue. They'll be released on a regional basis, with the first coming to the Americas, the second set for Asia, and the third in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
It's possible that the sneaker hasn't released until now because of the postponing of the Tokyo Olympics because of COVID-19. Nike makes numerous mentions of the Olympics in its post about the Rubber Dunk, including the debut of skateboarding as an Olympic sport and the gold sneaker's ties to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
The white version is intended as a nod to Nike's general releases in the 2000s, and the black and green version is explained simply by Abloh saying, "A black sneaker is my go-to for everyday life."
Start October by tussling with SNKRS — All three sneakers will release via the SNKRS app and select retailers on October 1. As can be expected with any Off-White x Nike release, demand will be quite high and resale prices will be even higher. You can even involve your children in this exercise in madness, as the Rubber Dunk will also release pre-school and toddler sizes.
Just maybe don't mention the shoe to your small children until you've successfully acquired a pair for them. Why introduce them into your cycle of crushing defeats and fleeting joy at such a young age?