Nike x Undercover Capsule
To better celebrate the Tokyo Olympics, Nike tasked their most notable collaborators to craft not just apparel but also footwear. UNDERCOVER‘s part, which uses the Dunk High as a vehicle, delivers both a vintage-inspired construction as well as an invitation to the imaginary “UBA.”
Dressed in black and red, the collaboration reenacts iconic palettes; however, its blocking is distinct from Jordan Brand’s own “Bred” offerings. The neutral fills in the robust overlays — toe cap, eye stay, Swoosh, etc — as well as the padded nylon tongue. Then, underneath, a tumbled leather gives off a premium effect that’s dressed down by way of the bolder color. In white, the laces lead the eye upward to the co-branded label, whose branding is relatively subtle when compared to the heel’s emboldened “UBA” and “UNDERCOVER BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION” text. Finally, Jun Takahashi’s love for speckling rounds out the midsole.