For the past three years, Virgil Abloh and Nike have cooked up some of the most sought after sneakers in history. Ever since the debut of “The Ten”, Off-White™ x Nike shoes have been the hottest in the world. As the Nike x Off-White™ collection has only continued to rise, Abloh has begun to dig back into the extensive Swoosh archives. Late last year, the Off-White™ x Nike Dunk pack dropped, referencing the iconic Nike basketball silhouette.
Launching in three colours, “Michigan”, “Pine Green” and “University Red”, the Off-White™ Dunks were a big hit. Abloh reinterpreted the 1985 “Be True To Your School” campaign, bringing back the Nike Dunk in original colourways. Quickly selling out, the Off-White™ Nike Dunks became one of the years hottest drops. With that in mind, an army of fakes began to flood the market, leading a number of replica Off-White™ Dunks to come through KLEKT HQ.
For this week’s episode of Real vs Fake, our resident authentication expert Dr KLEKT took on the Off-White™ x Nike Dunk Low “University Red.” As one of the most sought after colourways of the Off-White™ Dunks, this is one sneaker that has become a grail for many. Check out the video below to see just what Dr KLEKT can teach you on how to spot fake Off-White™ Nike Dunks!
Of course, that’s not all we’ve got for you. Below you’ll find a complete guide on how to spot fake Off-White™ Dunks. But before all that, we want to put your fake education knowledge to the test…
The Test
One of the Off-White™ Nike Dunk Low “University Red” sneakers below is real and one is fake. We’re giving you 10 seconds to pick which you think is the real Off-White™ Dunk and which is the fake. Are you ready? Set…go!
The Price
Now, as with all of our Real vs Fake guides, we’re going to warn you about the price of sneakers. When the Off-White™ x Nike Dunks dropped in December, they had a retail price of €170. The pack quickly sold out, leaving the reselling price to climb to well over the €500 mark. This is by no means a cheap sneaker, but if you are looking to cop a pair of these, just think about the price.
Most fake sneaker sellers will try to lure you in with a cheap price. As we mentioned, the retail price on these Nike x Off-White™ sneakers was nearly €200. For the most part, fake sneaker stores will list the price well below that. The price of a sneaker can tell you a lot about its authenticity. Currently, on KLEKT “University Red” the Off-White™ x Nike Dunk costs around €444. If you see a pair that is well below the retail and resale price, just be aware.
The Reveal
If you said the shoe on the right was the authentic Off-White™ Dunk…you were correct! This was definitely one of the tougher comparisons that we’ve had so a big well done if you got it right. If you didn’t then don’t worry. We’re going to educate you on how to tell a fake Off-White™ Nike Dunk in the guide below.
The Paper
For the most part, these fake Off-White™ Nike Dunks were very good on the packaging. If you’ve read previous guides, you’ll know how much we talk about the packaging plays an important role in determining the authenticity of a sneaker. Whilst the packaging on the outside of these fake Off-White™ Dunks was good, the paper on the inside wasn’t.
If you look at the comparison below, you will see there is a clear difference between the paper quality. As Dr KLEKT outlines, the real Nike Off-White™ Dunks use a much thicker paper, closer to wrapping paper. The yellow of the paper is also very bright, which allows the red branding to pop. However, when looking at the fake, it’s nowhere near as good.
The paper below is much thinner which makes a big difference. When looking at the two side by side, you can also see that the paper is much darker, or “bleaker” in Dr KLEKT’s words. This is a simple detail that this fake Off-White™ Dunk manufacturer has failed to get right.
The Tag
A key detail on all Off-White™ Jordan and Off-White™ x Nike sneakers has been the tag. Attached through the laces and a part of every Off-White™ Nike shoe since 2017, the zip tag can tell you a lot about the authenticity of an Off-White™ Nike sneaker. On these particular fakes, the text on the tag was very close, but one small detail lets it down.
You can see on the authentic Off-White™ Nike Dunk that there is a small “™” above the “E.” The dots on this “™” are very thin, making it almost fade into the background unnoticed. However, when looking at the fake Off-White™ Dunks, you can see that the “™” is much thicker, leaving a noticeable trace. Although this tag was very close to the real deal, this minuscule detail lets it down. The small things can really make a big difference!
The Medial Text
Without a doubt, one of the most eye-catching pieces of all Off-White™ Nike shoes is the text on the medial side. As one of the signature details on the Off-White™ line, the text has been around since the brand started. Adapted for the 2017 collaboration between Nike and Off-White™, the text was placed on the side and changed depending on each shoe. The medial text is also another key area for you to look for when it comes to looking at real vs fake Off-White™ Nike sneakers.
On the Nike Dunk below, the medial text is different from the real compared to the fake. In particular, take a look at the “E” of “NIKE.” You can see that the “E” hangs just off the corner, with most of the font letter being on the grey leather. However, when looking at the fake, the “E” is split evenly between red and grey. The font on these particular fakes was very close, but this small detail helped Dr KLEKT spot that it was a fake.
The Leather
Whilst this fake Off-White™ Dunk was good, there was simply no comparison when it came to the overall build quality. The leather on these Off-White™ Dunks is very good on the real pair, with a sturdy structure that means it is durable. When you have these in hand, the difference is night and day. However, as you’re looking at this on a screen, we will have to show you just what we mean by the difference.
The Real
The real Off-White™ Nike Dunk uses sturdy leather. It is soft but also very durable. When running your finger across it, you can see that it is not very reactive. It does not crease and it also does not lose shape.
The Fake
When feeling the fake Nike Dunk, you can see the creasing almost immediately. It is too soft and loses shape far quicker than the real pair. Also, the overall quality is just not as good. Whilst it may look close to the real thing, it couldn’t be further away. If you want to know how to tell a fake Off-White™ Nike Dunk, check the leather.
The Laces
As we have mentioned previously, there are a number of signature details on Off-White™ Nike sneakers. One of these areas is the text, which we have already discussed. The text also applies to the laces of any Off-White™ Nike shoe and can play a big part in determining authenticity. Below, we will discuss just what we mean.
On the fake Nike Dunks, you will see that the laces are quite out of shape, with the “SHOELACES” text being very heavy. The laces are out of shape due to the fact that the ink is too heavy. It is also quite crusty when you rub your finger across it, something that you can only feel once you have the shoe in hand.
If you look at the real Off-White™ laces, there is a nice even gap between the top and the bottom of the text. The ink is also not too heavy and the laces have stayed in shape. These small details show exactly the kind of quality difference between a real vs fake Off-White™ x Nike Dunk Low really are.
The UV Test
As with all of our Real vs Fake guides, we’re going to take you to the UV Studio. If you don’t have a UV light, we really couldn’t recommend getting one highly enough. UV light helps to pick up and detect details that the human eye cannot detect. If you want to know how to tell a fake Off-White™ Dunk or fake sneakers in general, then get a UV light!
Now, this sneaker conformed to all of our other UV tests so we’re going to be focusing on the sole of the Nike Dunk pictured below. You can see that on the real Dunk, the sole glows a warm red colour when placed under UV light. This glows a soft colour and is a key detail when comparing the two. If you look at the fake Off-White™, you can see that the sole does not glow at all. In fact, it stays a dull maroon colour.
Recap
If you want to know how to spot a fake Off-White™ Nike Dunk, just remember to check the following areas:
- The Price – if it sounds too good to be true then it usually is!
- The Paper – check the colour and also make sure that it is thicker than usual paper
- The Tag – take a look at the “™” symbol, ensuring that there are small dots and not thick ones
- The Text – ensure that the corner of the “E” on “NIKE” is more on the grey than the red leather
- The Laces – make sure that the lace doesn’t look distorted and the text ink is printed cleanly
- The UV – check that the sole glows a nice warm red
Final Thoughts
So there you go guys, that concludes this week’s episode of Real vs Fake! We hope that you enjoyed this piece and now know how to tell fake Off-White™ Nike Dunks. As always, head back to the KLEKT Blog where we’ll update you on more fakes. If you are looking to cop a pair of Off-White™ Dunks or just some new sneakers in general, then head over to the KLEKT store. We’ve got everything you need to kit out your wardrobe.
