Nike Dunk High "Wu-Tang." UNDEFEATED x Air Jordan 4. Nike Air Force 1 Low "PlayStation." Each of these are considered legendary releases that have been coveted by collectors for years. But now, their untouchable status is about to change. These three will be returning to the shelves thanks to Nike's decision to re-release from their archive, even deeper than before. The sneaker world has long embraced retro releases — no complaints when the original Air Jordan 1 "Bred" returns — but how does it affect brand prestige when sacred sneakers are re-released and made available to everyone?
"When I started Sneaker Freaker in 2002, people got so excited when they re-released shoes that hadn't been worn in a while," says Simon "Woody" Wood, founder of the world's longest-running sneaker magazine. "But now, it's like we're trapped in a loop that lasted another 20 years — how many times has the Air Max 90 'Infrared' come back?"
While the veterans of the sneaker scene are getting tired of the repeated releases, “the new generations only see these shoes in pictures and old articles. So, it's exciting for me to be able to bring it back and share it with more people,” said Perry Shum, founder of sneaker resale shop IMAGE NY.
With Nike's continued reliance on retro releases, it seems they have exhausted the potential of their old silhouettes. As the brand struggles to reconnect with its innovative roots — such as replacing CEO John Donahoe — it seems they've turned to recreating the best of the best from their archives, seeking a top spot in the sneaker world.
"Everyone in the business and sneaker worlds knows that Nike has been a bit left behind — no new innovation — and when they released the 'Cult Classics' series of refried hits, it didn't go well," said Woody.
As a result, collectors are looking for other options — Perry, for example, is a lifelong Nike fan, but he's noticed that he's wearing ASICS and other runners more often. While Woody is happy to "find a shoe that is not the type of others and wear it with pomp."
There are die-hard collectors who are frustrated by the re-release of their rare grails, but Shum, whose business is centered around providing access to these shoes, understands the value of re-releases even if he isn't entirely. who agrees with this personally. "Many of the old ones can't be worn anymore, so it's important that they come back for people who really want to wear them instead of just making them an investment," he admitted.
"Let's go back 20 years, brands back then only made 500 pairs per collab, so they could experiment."
Why are sneaker collaborations becoming so bland, to the point of needing re-releases? It's simple — and sad: the scale of projects has grown so much that brands can no longer take the risks that used to make the process fun. "Let's go back 20 years, brands used to only make 500 pairs per collab, so you can push the boundaries. Colors or materials may not be popular because you don't have to think about how to sell 20,000 pairs like today," explained Woody. What used to be a way to bring energy to a model has become just a business metric.
When collaborations are just for sales, they become "safe", in line with the common denominator of consumers instead of telling a story, introducing a new idea, or bringing attention to a model or creative fusion. An example of this is when Travis Scott first flipped the Swoosh on the Air Jordan 1. That simple twist seemed like a huge impact at the time, but now, due to successive releases, the market seems to be broken: there's no reason fans to buy regular Air Jordan 1 because they are just waiting for the next limited release.
“Look at JJJJound: they haven't made any interesting shoes in recent years, but they're still being given free rein. Is that what we really want in collaborations?” said Woody. "Now, Nike is going back to the Wu-Tang Dunks, it's like a shortcut."
“You can't see this as anything but a cash grab.”
The original Wu-Tang Dunks, limited to just 36 pairs, are a classic example of status brought about by scarcity. This 1999 creation is simple — basically, an Iowa Dunk with embroidery representing the Wu-Tang Clan. But there are collectors willing to spend $50,000 USD for a pair. For Woody, this is a shoe that should be in the Smithsonian, not on the SNKRS app. “Who is asking for it to come back? You will see nothing here but a cash grab.”
Even with the negative connotations and dilution of history for revenue, there is still a silver lining to every re-release. “Nostalgic drops can remind people why they fell in love with sneakers. Bringing back customers who have switched to other brands is important," said Perry.
Tiredness and dissatisfaction with endless releases is now felt in the market. A lot of shoes don't sell right away, the aftermarket is down, and shoes rarely have a “moment”: they're instantly forgotten a few hours later. "The Louis Vuitton x Nike, adidas with Gucci and Prada, it seems like it's all over. The Air Force 1 is over, everyone is saying the Air Jordan 1 is over. It ended at the same time and created a vacuum where no one knew what the next big thing was going to be,” Woody said.
As we wait for the next big changes in the industry, these re-releases will be Nike's focus — like it or not. "It's two sides of the sword, if for some it's a lazy cash grab, for others it's exciting because finally, they can buy the shoes they've been wanting to get for a long time but couldn't before. It really depends on your point of view," said Woody.
