The latest SB Dunk collab from legendary graffiti artist Futura has been one of the most hotly anticipated releases for over a year now. After making do with leaks for the longest time, we’ve now got official images and a locked-in release date of the 15th of May.
The Nike SB x Futura Laboratories Dunk Lows come in a white canvas upper, with abstract artwork covering its ‘Aqua Teal’ overlays. These graphics are inspired by Futura’s untitled abstract artworks from 1984. Futura’s signature is written in 3M on the heel and appears on the translucent blue rubber outsole.
Operating out of Fukuoka, Japan, Futura Laboratories has been behind some massive collaborations over the past 30 years. Futura himself has produced imagery for bands like The Clash and Unkle. Through his Laboratories label, he has also worked with massive brands like Supreme, Crocs, and of course, Nike.
Futura has a long history of collaborations on the coveted SB Dunks since their heyday in the early 2000s. These include the 2004 D.U.N.K.L.E High, which featured iconography from Unkle and Futura who served as their visual director. There was also the FLOM (For Love Or Money) High from earlier that same year, which featured several denominations of cash printed on a canvas base.
The FLOM High was limited to a Friends & Family run of 24. Last September, Sotheby’s auctioned off a pair for $63,000, the highest price ever for a Dunk sneaker. Sotheby’s also auctioned 8 pairs of the Off-White x Futura Laboratories Dunk Lows, with the proceeds going to the Virgil Abloh Foundation. This collaboration was first seen at Off-White’s runway show during Paris Fashion Week 2019. They came in two colourways, UNC Blue and Syracuse Orange, complete with Futura’s abstract touches and Virgil’s signature deconstructed aesthetic.
These high-profile collabs should give you an idea of the hype surrounding Futura’s latest solo SB Dunk Lows. Futura has previously referred to these as a General Release when addressing the leaks. Although, who knows what that means in comparison to his previous double-digit F&F runs?
Futura’s ‘Aqua Teal’ SB Dunk drops on the 15th of May, with a rumoured stock of 30,000 pairs. If you miss out on this exciting limited release, be sure to check the listings on KLEKT.
