The return of the Dunk was arguably the biggest trend shift of 2020, as Dunks sold on StockX for a total resale premium of £40m. Harking back to the early 2000s, many 2020 Dunk releases saw limited distribution at skate-specific shops rather than lifestyle boutiques. Special-box releases also kept interest at a high, as collaborators like StrangeLove and others wrapped their sneakers in limited-edition packaging.
Nike leaned heavily on its roster of collaborative partners, including the ongoing collaborations with Off-White and Stüssy, as well as bringing new and unexpected names into the fold like The Grateful Dead and Ben & Jerry’s. At the same time, the brand with the Swoosh delivered a plethora of strong general releases and new innovations.
These are the biggest (and best selling) Nike sneakers of 2020.
Most Expensive & Highest Price Premium:
Nike SB Dunk High “Reverse Skunk”
Nike SB has established a noteworthy legacy of cannabis-inspired sneakers, dating back to 2004’s “Green Hemp” Dunk Low, and including highlights like the 2010 “Skunk” Dunk High, the 2011 Cheech and Chong Dunk High, and others.
This year, Nike SB’s “Reverse Skunk” Dunk High was highly limited to 420 pairs, and released on April 20, exclusively via skateboarding shops. The stoner-friendly drop was denoted by a predominantly purple upper made from hairy suede, and a contrasting greened-out Swoosh. Naturally, the super-limited size run made this a big-time collector’s item.
£3,846 was the average resell price of the special-box “Reverse Skunk” Dunk High in 2020, while the regular box sold for an average price of £3,315.
Top Selling:
Nike Air Force 1 Low Supreme Box Logo
Having previously collaborated with Nike on a number of Air Force 1s – Lows and Highs – this year Supreme unveiled its most understated Air Forces to date. Following the design language of iconic Air Force collaborations with record labels like Roc-A-Fella, Shady Records and more, this clean iteration from Supreme features just a clean hit on the heel, in the form of the iconic Supreme box logo. Available in black and white iterations for $98 per pair, the release is intended to re-stock seasonally as an “always on” proposition, rather than to sell out like other Supreme x Nike drops.
Over 20,000 pairs of the white Supreme x Nike Air Force 1 were sold on StockX in 2020.
Highest Price Premium (2nd Place):
Nike SB Dunk Low Grateful Dead “Orange”
It’s safe to say that no one could have predicted this year’s successful revitalization of the Nike Dunk franchise, and much less so that Nike would release a Dunk collaboration with iconic jam-band Grateful Dead. Dressed up just like the group’s most beloved symbol, the dancing bears, the collaboration included three sneakers with faux-fur and suede uppers and a frayed Nike Swoosh. Green, yellow and orange editions were eagerly snatched up by Dead Heads and sneakerheads alike.
£2,239 was the average sale price for the Nike SB Dunk Low Grateful Dead “Orange”, making it the best-performing colourway of the trio.
Editor’s Picks:
Nike LD Waffle Sacai
Japanese label Sacai has been one of the most talked-about Nike collaborators over the course of 2019 and 2020, even though the Sacai x Nike collaboration dates back to 2015. Chitose Abe and Sacai first worked with the Beaverton brand to remix an Air Max 90, but the collaboration really made headlines in 2019 when we first glimpsed the hybrid LDV Waffle sneaker. Since then, Sacai’s Nike drops have consistently flown off shelves, including new monochromatic versions of the LD Waffle.
While recent drops of the LD Waffle didn’t put up the same numbers as the original release, the “White Nylon” and “Black Nylon” versions ranked second and fourth as top-sellers, combining for over 27,000 total transactions.
Nike Air Max 90 “Reverse Duck Camo”
Just like every year, Nike toasted to its annual Air Max Day celebration by bringing out some heaters. The brand with the Swoosh imagined the Nike Air Max 90 in a Reverse Duck Camo iteration, featuring Infrared hits as a nod to the silhouette’s original colourway. This colour scheme is an updated take on the classic Air Max 90 “Duck Camo” from 2013, in collaboration with Japanese retailer atmos.
At the third most-commonly sold sneaker in 2020, the Air Max 90 “Reverse Duck Camo” was sold over 13,000 times on StockX in 2020.
Nike SB Dunk Low Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Dunky
The unexpected partner behind one of the most headline-grabbing sneaker collaborations of the year? An ice cream brand called Ben & Jerry’s. This summer-ready collab between Nike SB and Ben & Jerry’s took the playful branding of the Vermont-based company and applied it to a Dunk Low, capturing the attention of more than just the sneakerhead demographic. The upper is decorated with a hairy cow faux-print overlays, with fluffy clouds and rolling hills underlays, and lastly a drippy Swoosh in gold. A special friends-and-family edition of the shoe came packaged in an oversized pint of ice cream, with the sneakers and other goodies included inside. Summarizing the spirit of the Nike SB x Ben & Jerry’s collaboration, a tag under the tongue of the shoe posed the question; “If It’s Not Fun, Why Do It?”
This collaboration racked up a considerable price premium, whether the regular box (1,413%) or friends-and-family packaging (1,409%).
Nike SB Dunk Low Travis Scott
Travis Scott’s star power this year was largely unmatched, as the Houston-born musician fronted major commercial partnerships with McDonald’s, Playstation, and other brands, however, drops from Scott’s ongoing Nike collaboration remained major occasions during the year.
One of the earliest Dunk releases of the year, Travis Scott and Nike served up this low-top collaboration in February. The design is marked by a bricolage aesthetic, featuring a mixed-material upper with plaid, paisley, and Cyrillic text reading “кактус джек” or “Cactus Jack.”
On average, between the regular box and special box releases, Travis Scott’s SB Dunk collaboration resold for an average price premium of 922%.
Nike SB Dunk Low StrangeLove Skateboards
California-based label Strange Love came correct with this fun SB Dunk, which released in time for Valentine’s Day. Todd Bratrud and Sean Cliver, StrangeLove dressed their collaboration in supple velvet with suede overlays, while an embroidered skull illustration adorned each heel. Speckled heart graphics appear on the outsole, rounding out the theme.
As with other SB Dunk releases from 2020, StrangeLove’s collaboration came with a regular box and special-edition box, the latter of which garnered a 2,499% resale premium, and came with accoutrements like extra laces, a print by Sean Cliver, Valentine’s Day cards, and stickers.
Nike Air Rubber Dunk Off-White
Having already taken on the re-design a handful of iconic Nike silhouettes (Air Jordan I, Air Max 97, Blazer High, not to mention the original Dunk Low, the list goes on…), Off-White’s Virgil Abloh turned his attention to reinterpreting the Dunk. The result was the Rubber Dunk.
The Rubber Dunk melds elements of the Nike Pegasus running franchise, with design language borrowed from the Nike Dunk, creating a new silhouette intended to be just as skateable as the SB Dunk.
Key design details include an exposed Air bubble (“…one of the greatest inventions in modern footwear” says Abloh) in the heel, while the upper is informed by late ’90s and early 2000s technical runners. It remains to be seen whether the Rubber Dunk will go down in history like its predecessor the OG Dunk, however, the Rubber Dunk’s “UNC” and “Green Strike” versions were the fifth and sixth most commonly sold sneakers on StockX in 2020, respectively.
Combined, these two colourways were transacted over 20,000 times last year.
Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 Stüssy
Stüssy’s first collaboration with Nike dates back to 2000, when both brands worked together to create two special-editions of the Air Huarache LE. The collaboration remains ongoing 20 years later, and any time the two brands come together, sneakerheads can’t help but be drawn in by the storytelling and strength of product. This year, the Stüssy x Nike partnership brought us a new take of the Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2, a silhouette which first debuted in 2003.
The “Fossil” colourway of the Spiridon Cage 2 was later accompanied by an Air Force 1 makeup in the same colourway, continuing the use of hemp-like fabric on the upper.
The Stüssy x Nike Caged Spiridon 2 was transacted nearly 9,000 times on StockX in 2020.
