Happy Spooky SZN everyone
Today is the ultimate day of scares, thrills, and double-checking that the pile of clothes on your chair isn’t a night demon. With that being said, sneakerheads you’re in for a treat this Halloween as we count down our favourite Halloween movie-inspired sneakers of all time.
1. Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Freddy Krueger’(2007)
Image Courtesy of Nike
The nightmare that never happened ( unless you're a skate store in Mexico). Arguably one of the most sought-after Halloween sneakers to date, the Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Freddy Krueger’ continues to live on to tell the tale of the fictional sadistic burned-alive serial killer who tortured a group of teenagers in their dreams. Nike took creative hues from the malevolent spirit by recreating his distinctive green and red striped jumper which offered a sinister base to the shoe’s blood-splattered leather overlays.
Image Courtesy of New Line Cinema
However, before the sneaker could hit our shelves, a cease and desist notice was issued to Nike by New Line Cinema, the company that owned the rights to ‘A Nightmare on Elms Street’, forcing Nike to cancel the release of the Nike SB Dunk due to copyright infringement. Most of the pairs were destroyed at Nike HQ, however, one skate store in Mexico mistakenly sold 26 pairs before the release date. Allegedly 30 pairs remain in rotation across the globe, making it a collector's dream among many Halloween sneaker buffs.
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2. Nike Dunk High ‘Coraline’ (2009)
Image Courtesy of Sotheby's Website
Nike discovers its own parallel universe with the Coraline Nike Dunk High. The exclusive high rise pays ode to the 2009 ‘children’s film. And when we say ‘children's’ film, we say that quite lightly as there are many cynical elements that unveil a range of sinister secrets.
Image Courtesy of Laika Hidden Worlds Website
The narrative follows an inquisitive 11-year-old girl who moves to a new abandoned house with her parents where she stumbles upon a secret door that leads to a parallel world, with the ideal parents' home, with the only difference being that her ‘other’ family has buttons for eyes. Coraline quickly discovers that her ‘other’ mother is hiding an evil secret, and has trapped the souls of other children that are concealed within this ‘idyllic’ home setting. Caroline must hatch a plan to escape this parallel world in order to save herself, her parents, and the other trapped souls.
Nike emulates the charm of the film quite distinctively, offering a two-toned gradient canvas upper, populated with top-stitch overlays that nod to Director Henry Selick’s handcrafted style. Hole flat buttons embroidered to the eyelets and lace take movie nods from the ‘other world’ and hints of mustard yellow garnered on the Swoosh, heel, and toe cap adds a vintage aesthetic. To top it off, a glow-in-the-dark midsole delivers a luminous completion. The Nike Dunk High ‘Caroline’ was never released to retail stores and only 100 pairs were made available through a code issued on the film credits that allowed film go-ers to access the shoe via their promotional website.
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3. Nike SB Air Trainer 1 SB ‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2007)
Forming as part of the lauded ‘Horror Pack’, the Nike Air Trainer 1 SB ‘Dawn of the Dead’ takes mainstay inspiration from the 1978 horror film which sees the US become taken over by a zombie apocalypse. Only four people survive this formidable attack ( two SWAT team members, a traffic reporter, and his girlfriend who is a TV executive) and formed an alliance to restore humanity and the safety of their citizens for good.
For this rendition, Tinker Hatfield’s athletic cross-trainer was upscaled with a mixture of hues that shine a light on the distinctive colours used in the horror film’s artwork. Sueded panels of grey complemented the predominantly black leather body, while hints of orange and purple worked in tandem across the uppers to achieve a subtle pop of colour.
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4. Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Mummy’ (2021)
Image Courtesy of StockX Website
In 2021, the Beaverton brand threw it back to ‘99 with their Mummy-inspired iteration of the Nike SB Dunk Low. Set in the 1920s, the ‘Mummy’ follows some treasure-seeking explorers who come across an ancient tomb in the Sahara desert, they later discover that they have unleashed a 3,000-year-old legacy of terror that arrives in an unfateful reincarnation of an Egyptian priest who serves an eternity of life to the living dead.
Nike paid honour to these ancient corpses, through its distinctive tear-away design. Muted shades of canvas offered a disheveled feel to the uppers, while the frayed edges can be torn away to reveal the buttery blue suede overlays that also feature on the Swoosh branding. The uppers, which are held up by an iridescent outsole, add a ghoulish touch to the lowers, while a pair of embroidered eyes are adorned on the heels. Other decorative touches include an Egyptian Eye of Horus graphic mantled on the inner tongues and a stitch spider design on the left toe box which finalises this spine-chilling fit.
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Let’s also back at some of Our Favourite Sneakers Celebrating their 20th Anniversary in 2023
