Nike Dunk Low Black and White

nike dunk low panda

Nike Dunk Low Black and White

Getting your hands on a pair of original Nike Dunks is not an easy task. It began back in 1985 when designer Peter Moore created the shoe and incorporated colorways from many colleges and universities known for their division 1 NCAA basketball programs. The Nike Dunk Low is a Retro of this original silhouette that's available now in many colorways, one of the most popular being 'Black and White'. The original 'Be True to Your School' colorways of the Nike Dunk are also back in the Dunk Low, along with some added extra colorways. The Dunk Low's haven't been particularly popular as a performance basketball shoe, but their Retro design and structure make them a favorite in skateboarding under Nike SB. In this article, you'll discover a brief history of Nike, Nike Dunk Low Black and White features, other shoe colorways, Nike Dunk vs. Nike Dunk Low, pricing, and sizing. 

History of Nike

Nike started as a brand in 1964, called 'Blue Ribbon Sports' It was founded by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman, a coach at the University of Oregon. They wanted to expand the sneaker industry and became a distributor for the international sneaker brand Onitsuka Tiger, which was from Japan. They originally sold their shoes out of their car at sports games, and the boots were a massive hit. 

One day, Bill Bowerman noticed his wife's waffle iron at breakfast and had an interesting idea. To test it out, he poured melted urethane into the waffle iron to create a prototype of what would soon revolutionize the sneaker industry: the waffle sole. This was implemented into the famous Waffle Racer. This was around when Blue Ribbon Sports changed its name to Nike, after the Greek goddess of victory. They soon broke away from Onitsuka Tiger after the company sued them for allegedly taking the Tiger Cortez and selling it under the name 'Nike Cortez'. Although the partnership ended, Nike had just begun. They paid student Carolyn Davis just $25 for the iconic Nike 'Swoosh' logo, and their brand took off. They were helped by many celebrity endorsements, including Lebron James, Tiger Woods, and Kobe Bryant. However, their partnership with Michael Jordan for Jordan Brand was the most lucrative. It continues to make 100 million dollars in Nike royalties alone, and Air Jordans are some of the most popular sneakers on the market. Nike also purchased other brands like Converse, Umbro, and Hurley International, and they are also the official suppliers of both NFL and NBA apparel. In 2004, Phil Knight stepped down as CEO, and William Perez took his place. Knight is now a chairman. 

In terms of Nike's more recent endeavors, they've paid more attention to current events and implemented ideas from this into their sneakers. As many brands are becoming environmentally conscious, Nike decided to join the movement by initiating the 'Move to Zero' program, where they hope to achieve zero waste and zero carbon. They created the Space Hippie and Cosmic Unity silhouettes using recycled material. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Nike made the Nike Offline silhouette, which are 'anti-sneaker' mules designed for comfort while staying indoors. white sneaker sketch

Nike Dunk vs. Nike Dunk Low

The original Nike Dunk was first released in 1985 and was designed by Peter Moore, as usual. Many other makes are under the Dunk silhouette, and the 2021 Dunk Low collection branched off from the original release. Both basketballers and skateboarders love the shoe, but finding an actual Dunk isn't going to be easy (or cheap). It was designed for universities in a 'Be True to Your School' pack when four NCAA teams wore Nike. It took inspiration from the Air Jordan 1, and you'll notice the resemblance in the design. The colorways of the shoes were taken from school colors. Back then, most sneakers were white, so the colorful Dunks caught everybody's eye.

The grip, leather, and flat soles made it popular among skateboarders who 'adopted' the sneaker after Air Jordans took over basketball. It helped make Nike a brand more popular among skateboarders and led to the release of the Nike SB. The original shoe was a high top with a white and bright color upper, but the low and mid tops of the actual Dunk were released as well (although they weren't as popular). Some were white and red, others white and blue, or white and orange. The shoes were initially a failure as they failed to appeal to basketball players as performance shoes. The design and structure didn't make it fit for the sport as much as other Nike sneakers. However, the skateboarders took it over, and the Nike SB Dunk was made. Major skate shops like Supreme carefully examined the SB Dunk. 

The Nike SB is more well-known for its low-top model, but it also exists as a high-top. It features a padded tongue and collar for better protection. The laces are also thicker and larger so that they remain durable for skateboarding. The bottom of the heel has Zoom Air unit cushioning to absorb impact. The outsoles have a detailed treat pattern compared to the original Dunk, and some of the rubber on the midsole is replaced with foam to make it lightweight. The Nike Dunk Low from 2021 is a Retro release. Similar to the SB, it's a low top, but it features the same color patterning on the upper along with similar overlays to the Nike Dunk. The sole is rubber, the outer is leather, and it features a padded tongue. One of the most popular colorways is the black and white.

Dunk High Women’s Shoes

by Nike 

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Nike Dunk Low "Black/White" Features

Dunk Low Retro 'Black and White'

by Nike 

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This colorway is also known as the Nike Dunk Low "Panda". It was released and also re-released at a retail price of $100, with the original release date being on March 20th, 2021, with restocks on February 2nd, 2022, and April 22nd, 2022. One of the most incredible things about this shoe is that it's officially sold in men's, women's, and kids' sizes so that everybody can get a pair! The shoe has a smooth leather build in a yin-yang color style with black overlays and a white base. The Nike Swoosh on the upper is black with a glossy finish that leaves the shoes looking brand new even after some wear and tear. The midsole is white, and the laces are black, contrasting with a white tongue, with a black rubber outsole.

Dunk Low Retro White Black Panda Women's

by Nike 

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Similar Colorways

Nike Dunk Low 'World Champions'

Dunk Low 'World Champions'

by Nike 

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This shoe has a very similar colorway to the Panda, as it's also a white base with black leather overlays, as well as the same colors on the tongue, laces, midsole, and Swoosh. The only differences are that they have some small gold decals and the leather on the upper has a cracked style (you'll never be able to tell if it's worn or not, which is one of the cool things about the Panda colorway in general). There are metallic gold decals on the laces and on the Nike branding on the heels. If you like the cracked leather look, it's pretty much the same as the 'Black/White', so it's another pair to consider!

Nike Dunk Low 'Reverse Panda'

Dunk Low 'Reverse Panda'

by Nike 

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'Reverse Panda' is only an unofficial dub for this new Dunk Low release. It's black and white like the Panda, but the way the colors are spread out is different. The entire upper, midsole, and outsole are clean white, with black on the Nike Swoosh and laces. Nike branding on the shoe is also black, but other than that, it's all white. The shoe is releasing in 2022 with an unknown release date for $100, so keep an eye out for more news on the Reverse Panda if you like this type of black and white color scheme better.

Nike Dunk Low 'Triple White'

Dunk Low Triple White

by Nike 

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The 'Black/White' was an even distribution of black and white, the 'Reverse Panda' is more white than black, and the 'Triple White' is all white! Of course, in every silhouette, there must be one all-white colorway for the classic undyed look. The only contrast on the shoe is on the upper tongue black branding, and other than that, it's a glossy leather white, on the laces, midsole, outsole, upper, and tongue. Small holes in the toe box for flexibility and detailed stitching on the upper stand out from the bright white. It was released in 2022 for a retail price of $100.

Air Force 1 Low Mens Basketball Shoes
$119.00

by Nike 

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02/18/2024 11:31 am GMT

Nike Dunk Low 'Black/Blue'

Dunk Low 'Black/Blue'

by Nike 

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This color block style Dunk Low is just like the Black and White, but it has blue instead of white. The laces, outsole, and overlays are black. The Swoosh is blue as well. The only white element of the shoe is the midsole. It is similar to the 'Midnight Navy' colorway and is a newer 2022 release for $100 on the Nike site. 

© Sneaker Guru Testing Lab.

Nike Dunk Low Sizing and Care

The original Nike Dunk fits true to size. The fit is wider in the toe box in comparison to the Air Jordan 1, but it's negligible. Luckily, the Nike SB Dunk is also true to size as the adaptation didn't affect the sizing. Some people say it is ok to go a half size up with these shoes because of the extra padding for skateboarding. The Nike Dunk Low has less padding than the original Nike SB Dunk, so for those, such as the Nike Dunk Low Black and White, stick to your regular size. Many will tell you these new shoes are definitely designed for style, and that wearing them all day for long walks or using them as a performance basketball shoe isn't what they're made for. Note that the shoes arrive in women's, men's, and little kid's sizes, so anyone can get a pair!

The shoes don't need as much care as your other pairs because of their glossy leather build that can hold a lot more wear and tear. So, usually, some wet wipes will do the trick in case of any stains. You can clean them gently with a soft brush for more set-in stains. Otherwise, you will probably get everything off with a wipe, and the shoes will look brand new with just that simple cleaning. 

Pricing and Where to Buy

The Nike Dunk Low silhouette was released at a retail price of $100. Depending on the current demand, you may find these online now for either higher or lower than that. While the Nike Dunk Low 'Black and White' has had multiple restocks, it may not be possible to get it directly from Nike unless you wait for another restocking. Now, you can purchase them from select retailers online that trade authenticated sneakers. It's advised that you stick to the list below or other similar websites, but avoid Amazon and eBay because they do not have a product verification system. 

The first sneaker marketplace that comes to mind for many is StockX. StockX is based in Detroit, Michigan, and was founded in 2016. It proudly names itself a 'stock market of things' because its buying and selling system is unique, so you must get familiar with it before purchasing. Prices are determined by current trends and past sales, and buyer bids. Each product has a graph of trends in sale prices so you can get an idea of how much the shoe sells for. The company also trades handbags and watches. Note that you can only sell brand new sneakers on StockX, so you can't buy anything used. Before the product ships to you, it will be shipped to an authentication facility and verified with a green StockX tag. The average sale price for a Nike Dunk Low Retro 'Black and White' is $260 brand new on StockX. 

Dunk Low Retro ‘Black and White’

by Nike 

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GOAT is a popular sneaker marketplace that was started by a duo of friends in Los Angeles who were frustrated after receiving a pair of fake sneakers they bought online. Their frustration with the incident led them to think of a solution to the problem, and they decided to create GOAT, where they hoped that everyone would be able to purchase verified sneakers online without worrying about receiving a fake pair. You can purchase used, new, new with defects (missing lid, damaged box, etc.), and instant new shoes on the site. There are over 200,000 different products listed, with new ones being posted daily. Instant new shoes are pre-verified and brand new in the box and are shipped directly to the buyer. All other types of shoes are first sent to an authentication site and then to the buyer. Unlike StockX, prices are set and depend on size and condition. You can find a pair of Nike Dunk Low 'Black and White' sneakers on GOAT for about 215 dollars brand new.

Flight Club is a sneaker marketplace that isn't only online. If you're ever in Los Angeles, Miami, or their headquarters store in New York City, stop by and browse for sneakers in person! If you know what pair you need, visit the Flight Club website for authenticated sneakers. Note that orders on the site can only be canceled within 3 hours of placement, and there are no returns or refunds after this period. Both new and used shoes are available, but used shoes are much less likely to be in stock. If you want to purchase from Flight Club, you'll spend around $215 on a pair of Nike Dunk Low 'Black and White' sneakers. 

© Sneaker Guru Testing Lab.

Summary

The Nike Dunk Low "Black and White" is one of the most popular colorways of the Nike Dunk Low Retro collection, modeled after the original Nike Dunks from 1985. The actual Nike Dunks were created for specific colleges with division 1 NCAA basketball programs, with the colorways taking inspiration from school colors. The shoe wasn't such a big hit as a performance basketball shoe as it was for style, but once skaters found out about the grip on the outsole and padding on the shoe, it was taken over. This led to the creation of the Nike Dunk SB, a Nike Dunk with slight modifications to make it suitable for skateboarding. Now, the Nike Dunk Low is a Retro set that still isn't particularly practical for sports, but it has the same classic style that many have been trying to find since the Nike Dunks became rarer and rarer. The Dunk Low Black and White is also known as the Panda for its glossy black leather and white base colors. It's a low-top that's similar to the 'World Champions', 'Triple White', and 'Reverse Panda' colorways. You can find a pair on StockX, Flight Club, GOAT, or another trusted sneaker marketplace. 

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