Nike Unveils Grateful Dead-Inspired Sneakers

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Christmas has come early for Deadheads and sneakerheads alike this year.

In a collaboration no one saw coming, Nike announced a new line of Grateful Dead-inspired sneakers. Available in three different colors, the Nike SB Dunk Low Grateful Dead retails for $110 per pair.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

#repost @ftcsanfrancisco - Keep On Dunkin'. 50 years ago the Grateful Dead @gratefuldead released the album, "American Beauty," and cemented their legacy as one of the greatest psychedelic rock bands of all time. To celebrate the Long Strange Trip, SB is putting out a fuzzed-up Dunk Low in three neon colors with our Deadhead friends. With shaggy fur panels on the upper, custom-designed GFD Bear logo and a secret zip stash pocket inside the tongue itself, the GFD Dunk is full of surprises if you know where to look. @nikesb and the Deadheads. We are everywhere 👀 Paying tribute to the Dead’s history in San Francisco’s infamous Haight-Ashbury, FTC is proud to announce that we will be releasing the exclusive special edition GFD Orange Bear Dunk Low 🧡. Due to high demand we will conduct a 24hr online email raffle for ORANGE ONLY dropping Saturday July 18th. Raffle info will be released Wednesday July 15th 🧡 and raffle info for the Yellow and Green Dunks — TBA 💛💚 #nikesb #gratefuldead #weareeverywhere

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The colorful design features a frayed signature Nike swoosh and the band's dancing bear, which was inspired by the group's longtime audio engineer and LSD advocate Owsley "Bear" Stanley. 

"As the band’s benefactor, Bear was an incredibly huge part of the Grateful Dead’s ability to become who they were,” David Lemieux, the band’s archivist and legacy manager shared in a statement. “They were talented musicians, but they would not have had the financial freedom to forgo jobs, move to Los Angeles and practice for 14 hours a day. The band wouldn’t become what it is today without Bear’s innovations and contributions.”

Bear also spearheaded the design of the band's equally legendary "Steal Your Face" skull logo, which was named after the band's 1973 live album, and appears on the inside of the shoe. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

They’re here!⁣ ⁣ Front and center in the @gratefuldead x @nikesb Dunk Low is the band’s most lovable symbol, the marching bears, which first appear on the back cover of the group’s 1973 LP "History of the Grateful Dead, Volume 1 (Bear’s Choice)."⁣ ⁣ Set in three colorways, the shoe playfully features bear-inspired detailing, such as a faux-fur and suede upper, a frayed Nike Swoosh mimicking the bears’ collars and an image of the bear on the tongue. (Another iconic Grateful Dead logo, the Steal Your Face skull, is printed on the underside of the sockliner.)⁣ ⁣ The orange colorway of the Nike SB Dunk Low Grateful Dead releases July 18 at FTC. The green and yellow colorways release July 24 on SNKRS and at select skate shops.⁣ ⁣ Click the link in the bio to check out Nike News for all of the details. ⁣ ⁣ -⁣ #GratefulDead #DeadHeads #NikeSBDunkLow #GratefulDeadShoes #GratefulDeadSneakers #StealYourFace #MarchingBears #WeAreEverywhere

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The sneakers' other features include faux fur, suede and most importantly, a hidden zipper pouch built into the inner tongue of the shoe - we'll let you determine its purpose. 

The orange version of the Nike SB Dunk Low Grateful Dead hits the street on July 18 via FTC Skateshop. The yellow and green versions are slated to release on July 24 at Nike’s SNKRS app and select skate shops.
 

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