Soul Exchange: March 2011

For a man that moves in between all different social circles, there was a definite need for Questlove to have a footwear collection that will do same. He toward his childhood memories along with Nike‘s extensive archive and found the inspirations needed for the upcoming Nike Dunk High Pack. In the colorful duo of yellow and red, Questlove recalled an all too often scenarios on 80s sitcoms, where a youngsters’ quest for “dress to impress” gone horribly wrong for the male lead. The result was a cautionary tale of first fling at love and growing pains. The red Dunk High is indicative of dressing up with odd twist, offering an overstrap that covers much of the upper. Things look to be normal with its yellow counterpart, till you notice the Nike Swoosh is from a Nike Blazer instead. Leaving the adolescent era behind, ?uestlove introduces the all black creation, a subtle hint of maturity, or as Quest stated “Dunks to me are the tuxedo of Nikes. Obviously an awesome basketball sneaker, but they can also fit almost any situation. If rocked right, you could even wear them with a suit, and the all black version is perfect for that” All 3 pairs will be available this Friday, March 4th , at Nike Sportswear 21 Mercer and select Nike Sportswear retail locations.
Release Date: March 4th (Friday)

Once again turning to an icon of Nike’s design heritage, Nike Sportswear takes the Nike Dunk and puts it in the hands of one of the music industry’s most innovative creators of sound, ?uestlove. Releasing on March 4th, two Nike Dunks will hit the shelves as a pair of unlikely twins bearing a unique look that is arguably the first of its kind. One pair red and the other yellow, the Nike Dunk x ?uestlove is the product of an imagination that brings uncharacteristic embellishments to a classic. Inspired by mid 80’s era American television, ?uestlove draws from the favorite sitcoms of his youth and interprets their story lines through design.
Hinting to an episode that is forever etched in ?uestlove’s mind, a character is presented with an all too human conflict, impressing a girl with style, but the outcome goes horribly awry. The character pleads for an expensive shirt from his parents, but when he is denied, a sibling offers to make a replica that is in the end far from perfect. The Nike Dunk x ?uestlove is just that, one is perfect, and the other is, to say the least, a bit off kilter.
The red pair is fashioned to perfection using premium leather complete with an overlay that conceals the laces trimmed with white buttons. The yellow pair is the traditional Nike Dunk with a twist – the swoosh shape that is distinct to the Nike Blazer. The Nike Dunk x ?uestloves are then finished off with the emblem of its maker, the silhouette of ?uestlove himself.
“ I always opt against taking the easy way out, ” says ?uestlove, “I wanted to choose colors that were extremely hard to match with outfits with a simpler design that stand out as the topic of conversation.”
?uestlove surprises us by suddenly adding a third Nike Dunk x ?uestlove to the mix, this version colored in all black. When asked about the addition,?uestlove responds, “Dunks to me are the tuxedo of Nikes. Obviously an awesome basketball sneaker, but they can also fit almost any situation. If rocked right, you could even wear them with a suit, and the all black version is perfect for that.”
The Nike Dunk x ?uestlove by Nike Sportswear will be available at Nike Sportswear at 21 Mercer, New York, and select Nike Sportswear retailers nationwide.