2001's Nike Dunk Low "Plum" Will Return in February

2020 is shaping up to be a fruitful year for Nike‘s time-honored Dunk, and one of the classic colorways that’s getting the ball rolling is the “Plum.” A makeup that originally debuted in 2001 as part of a Nike Japan-exclusive “Ugly Duckling” (or “Ugly Dunkling”) pack alongside “Veneer” and “Ceramic” styles, the “Plum” is an appealing look back at a bygone era of in-the-know regional exclusives.

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Combining a two-tone purple base with bold red accents, the shoe’s design lives up to its sweet-flavored nom de guerre. Toeboxes, quarter panels, heels and tongues are equipped with a sandy purple, while overlays and mudguards take on a more regal lavender hue. Swooshes and laces are both dressed in a rich burgundy, while a white midsole and red Dunk outsole complete the look. This compelling clash of colors was so beloved by collectors that Nike SB even released a fat tongue-equipped SB Dunk High in a near-identical scheme back in 2011. However, this revamped iteration is the first ever re-release of the OG style Dunk Low.

With luminaries like Travis Scott and Virgil Abloh professing their love for the Dunk in countless Instagram photos and street style shots, the time is certainly ripe for the onetime basketball shoe — the Dunk first released in 1985 and provided partial inspiration for Michael Jordan‘s Air Jordan 1 — to see a mainstream comeback. The “Plum” will help kick that popular revival off, and will likely be followed by several other heritage releases over the course of the year.

Premiered via “catalog” photos complete with early ’00s-style graphics, these Dunk Lows are set to return via Nike SNKRS on February 7 for $110 USD.

It’s been a good week for retros from the aughts: Jordan Brand‘s memorable Team Showcase recently returned in a UNC-themed “White/Powder Blue” colorway.