Would you wear these furry Verdy x Nike SB Dunk Lows?

Nike has long been a hot commodity in the skateboarding community. When the action sport first burst onto the scene in the 80s, Nike’s collection of footwear attracted skateboarders for their sturdiness and low-profile silhouettes. It took several years before Nike introduced a line of skate-centric sneakers in 1996, but it received a mixed reaction from the community. A few years later in 2002, Nike unveiled Nike SB, a sub-brand devoted to clothing, footwear, and equipment, particularly for skateboarding. 

Nike soon launched a skateboarding variant of their Dunk model, which has since become known as the acclaimed SB Dunk Low. This shoe would become synonymous with the Nike SB label and help usher in the brand as a dominant force in the skateboarding circle. There have been numerous iterations and collaborations of the SB Dunk design, but an upcoming joint effort between Nike SB and Japanese illustrator and graphic design artist Verdy might be the peculiar, yet intriguing one yet. 

The Verdy x Nike SB Dunk Low “Visty” takes direct inspiration from a plush toy of the same name courtesy of the Japanese artist. This creature is question largely mirrors that of a hybrid Furby and classic teddy bear look. The fuzzy fellow saw a limited to 500 release in December 2021, a time in which the COVID-19 pandemic had been severely hindering people’s lives globally. This is not just some Walmart children’s toy either, keep in mind Visty is a piece of art in essence, meaning his price tag didn’t come cheap. We’re talking about a starting retail price tag of over $500! And if you missed out on the initial release, one of these exclusive furry friends will cost you well over USD 2,000 on a third-party consignment platform like StockX! 

Artist Verdy made the plush creature, which had a prominent smile on its face with a vibrant color scheme, intended to transfer a bit of that feel-good energy in real life. Fast forward several years later, and the intention of bringing the Visty character to the masses remains, albeit in a wearable form.

The furry patterns that adorn the Verdy x Nike SB Dunk Low “Visty” evoke a happy, child-like innocence. The sneaker itself consists of soft pastel hues including sky blue, a cream-like yellow, pistachio green, and a lighter shade of pink. The shoe’s material varies from corduroy to the overbearing faux fur that wraps around the sneaker. Aside from the default cream laces, the shoes also come packaged with green and blue substitutes, as well as a limited-edition Visty keychain in some boxes. 

Playful and colorful is always nice, and these adjectives radiate from the upcoming Verdy x Nike SB Dunk Low “Visty” silhouette.

The Verdy x Nike SB Dunk Low “Visty” is certainly an eccentric upcoming release that has some sneakerheads allured by its whimsical nature, while its in-your-face look may turn others off. Nevertheless, given their exclusivity and association with a prominent artist, the shoes are expected to sell well upon initial release and become a pricy, rare piece in the sneaker market. Aside from images and information to surface on social media, very little is known about the actual Verdy x Nike SB Dunk Low “Visty” release date, including a concrete price tag and available retail channels. It can only be assumed that an announcement will be made through Nike’s official SNKRS app in the coming months, with further third-party outlets to follow. Eager fans will have to keep their eyes peeled in the meantime!