Since Nike (discreetly) revealed that it would let people customize their Dunk sneakers, which is arguably its hottest silhouette at the moment, I knew immediately that I needed a pair to call mine. Little did I know, however, that trying to buy the damn shoes would become a nightmare. Because, although Nike knew that its “By You” Dunk Lows would be highly sought after, the company was not prepared for the launch day, on January 7th: its website started to provide error codes to customers while they tried to deal with their projects, to stop completely and not let them complete their purchases.
But somehow, amid the chaos of virtual shopping, I got a pair for $ 110. This was largely due to the fact that I saved my Dunk design on the Nike website days before launch, and the fact that I never gave up to update the checkout page, despite having encountered an avalanche of error messages. After all that, it was very good to get the victory, especially because Nike decided to make Dunk shoes (either the SB or the classics) extremely limited and difficult to achieve today. It’s a shame that what used to be a shoe on the shelves at Kohl’s or Journey today is a phenomenon of exaggeration, but in the end, Nike doesn’t care about any of our feelings.
Nike will sell its highly coveted products anyway, even if drops like this are a total and utter mess, and even though its SNKRS app remains an embarrassment and the worst joke for the entire tennis community.
Still, now I’m happy that my creation Dunk By You is here, at my doorstep. As someone who grew up as a skater / emo boy, Dunks was always one of my favorites in the early 2000s, mainly because they were cheaper than the Air Jordans and because I always loved their appearance after being beaten. Their aesthetics haven’t changed since, and although I mostly wear high-top sneakers these days, I just couldn’t help but take a look at Dunk’s iconic silhouette.
As you can see, I chose a green, white and red theme, which was my way of honoring the Mexican flag – the place where I come from. To spice it up a bit, how I would make my Mexicans proud if I didn’t add seasoning something? – I opted for a black Nike “Swoosh” logo, simply as a nod to my preference for black clothes. I also mixed leather materials (green and red) with suede (white and black), just to add a touch of subtle elegance.
And last but definitely not least, I am grateful that Nike let me choose a rubber sole. It reminds me of all the old school Dunks I used to have, and that design detail alone makes me love them so much more. By the way, I don’t have a name for them, but I think something like the Dunks “Taco” would work, but that’s just because I like both clubs and sneakers, nothing really to do with shoes other than tacos being a Mexican treasure .
My only regret is that I didn’t get a second pair, so I would have an extra saved for when I eventually used them. I know, I know, I should be happy to have a couple since thousands of other people didn’t – and believe me, I am. We hope Nike will do another round of By You Dunk Lows so that others have a chance. It’s just right, but then again, I wouldn’t hold my breath.