Joining an Air Jordan 1 and a small capsule of Chucks from Converse, the Dunk Low is joining the annual Day of the Dead festivities under the Nike umbrella.
An abundance of texture and detail defines the Dunk Low “Día de Muertos,” which continues the tradition established by Nike through sneakers since 2020. Instead of going the more obvious route of calaveras (or sugar skulls), the sneaker borrows cues from marigolds and hummingbirds — flora and fauna that play key roles in Day of the Dead mythology. Aztecs believed the spirits of the dead could return as either butterflies or hummingbirds, and marigolds were used to lead spirits back to the ofrendas (or alters) made for them.
A two-tone hummingbird is embroidered on the shoe’s lateral beneath the black suede Swoosh and near the heel, while a raised texture inspired by the bird’s feathers defines the gold-tone tip. A lighter marigold color is then used for the underlays, while a ribbed texture appears on the eyestay and heel overlay in the darker gold and black, respectively. The upper most eyelet appears as a metallic marigold, while pink branding on the mustache and tongue tag invoke the vibrant colors of the holiday. A turquoise insole also hosts mismatched marks in pink featuring the return of the hummingbird graphic and a Nike “Familia” logo with a scuffed Swoosh.
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The use of “Familia” aligns the Dunk Low with the Air Max 1 and Zoom Pegasus 40 that released in September for Latino Heritage Month. But along with the Air Jordan 1 Zoom CMFT releasing on the same day, the Dunk Low takes a darker approach while making a more overt embrace of Day of the Dead.
Look for the Dunk Low “Día de Muertos” to release Oct. 21 through the SNKRS app. The price is set at $125, and sizing will be exclusive to women.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
