Summer Stories: Is Anything Sacred?

Cue the Brian Windhorst meme, “Why would they do that?” Early Sunday morning the unthinkable happened, Nike teased a return of one of the most legendary sneakers in their catalog, the Nike Dunk High “Wu-Tang.” This news set the internet on fire and should prompt serious questions about the current state of Nike. The Wu-Tang Dunk is a sneaker whose aura precedes it. It needs no introduction, and it is impossible to oversell its place in sneaker history. They arrived on the scene in 1999 as a friends and family release for the Wu-Tang Clan. Initial rumors that only 36 pairs existed have since been debunked by Drew Greer who was Global Footwear Product Director for Nike Sportswear at the time. In an appearance on the Complex Sneakers Podcast, he shared that there were one hundred pairs made. Fifty were allocated to members of the Wu-Tang Clan and their record label and fifty remained with Nike. Still, the sneaker remains exceedingly rare and highly sought after. In its history, pairs have fetched up to fifty thousand dollars on the secondary market. Following the internet-breaking Instagram post from Nike Sportswear which pointed to the shoe’s potential release, reports have indicated that it is expected Fall 2024. While excitement online about this news is rampant, it does not come without some eyebrow raises with respect to Nike’s creative direction. 

The Wu-Tang Dunk news comes on the heels of rumors about another iconic shoe rereleasing, the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4. Released in 2005, it was Jordan Brand’s first sneaker collaboration and was limited to 72 pairs. Like the Wu-Tang, the Undefeated 4, is enshrined in the halls of sneaker lore. Desired by all, possessed by few. Recent years have seen a long line of Nike and Jordan releases that seem to reference, take inspiration from, or be slightly adjusted versions of exclusive pairs. Examples include the Air Jordan 5 Retro SE 'Oregon,' the Air Jordan 4 Retro 'University Blue,' and the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG 'Dark Mocha.' This is a strategy that brands have used since limited edition products have existed. Selling products that are similar to exclusive items is a savvy way to increase revenue and provides customers an opportunity to own something akin to rare commodities. However, the historic exclusive items returning in true form was never expected, but were there signs?

With the pandemic boom in the rear-view, Nike has experienced turbulent times that show no signs of relenting. At the end of last week, the company posted its latest earnings reports which showed that growth has flatlined and prompted the stock to plummet 20%. Given the sequence of events, it seems as if Nike dropped the Wu-Tang news to distract from another quarter of poor performance. In reality, it has only magnified last week’s report. Have they lost the ability to deliver exciting new products, have they gotten lazy, do they no longer care about preserving history? All of these questions have been raised online in response to the news about the return of the Wu-Tang Dunk.  For a company currently drowning in the wake of financial upheaval bringing back items from the vault is a surefire cash grab. However, in doing so they are bankrupting their history. Nike CEO John Donahoe has talked at length about the need to return to Nike’s ethos of sport and innovation. Yet, the shelves have been devoid of newness. Rather, Nike continues to churn out retros of old favorites. It is this disconnect that holds Nike hostage to negative earnings reports.

If Nike thinks giving the public access to some of its greatest pieces is how it is going to ignite the comeback, serious discussions need to start being had about the direction of the company. Just because something is a replicable product doesn’t mean it needs to be propagated. When a Van Gogh painting is duplicated, it is called a forgery. Part of what makes sneaker culture so awesome is the figures of mythology that exist behind the curtain. For those lucky enough to afford such pairs, they are prized parts of collections. For those who can only view from afar they are exciting items to fantasize about. Bringing sneakers of this caliber to market only damages Nike’s history. If this continues, one day they will look up and their archival museum will no longer draw interest. Nike achieved its greatest successes by taking risks and trying bold new ideas. Releasing the Wu-Tang Dunk is the antithesis of this. Strike your best Brian Windhorst pose and say it with me, “What are they doing in Beaverton?”