NIKE SB X SOULLAND FRI.DAY 0.2
BEHIND THE DESIGN
In 2002, Soulland came to life straight out of Copenhagen. This was at the same time Nike SB was just beginning to make noise with debut iterations of the now iconic SB Dunk. Soulland’s founders Silas Adler and Jacob Kampp Berliner’s fondest memories with the brand come from its inception at the turn of the millennium. “My first encounter with Nike SB was at its launch. I was very active in skateboarding then, and like everyone else at the time this was something that completely changed our opinion of shoes.” Adler shared. “Nike SB catered to someone like me who was into skateboarding and sneaker culture.”
Now well over a decade since the arrival of both Soulland and Nike SB, the two come together for their second collaborative collection since 2016. For their latest, Soulland took a unique approach to the SB Dunk Low & High in a new, deconstructed build. “I wanted to provoke. You need to do something where you risk it. Otherwise you never go forward.” He expressed as he looked back on his approach. “That is what I wanted to do with the new project with the Dunk Hi and Low Deconstruct — do something that has never been done.”
Their approach to this disruption was led with a focus on the placement of the Swoosh logo. On the Low, the traditional Swoosh logo was moved and minimized. “I took away the big swoosh, traditionally the key element of the silhouette. Putting a small swoosh on the toe cap instead, almost like a soccer shoe, even for myself was big. I love the look of it. I love how clear it is that it is a dunk by the shape and sole, but that it looks different than any other low.”
Silas and the Soulland team also took a unique approach to the Swoosh on their Dunk High. While it still sports the classic Swoosh in its usual place, Adler had this idea of layering logos. “I’ve seen stuff with multiple swoosh, and I played with a small swoosh, but then I thought ‘why not put the small on the big swoosh.”
Releasing alongside an apparel collection, the latest collaborative collection from Soulland and Nike SB is a balanced representation of both parties while pushing the limits and creating a new look for the timeless SB Dunk.
