From the Vault: Nike SB Dunk High "Sea Crystal"
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By Stadium Goods |From the Vault: Nike SB Dunk High "Sea Crystal"
A close look at the classic colorway and the story behind its design.
Matt DeSciora
As the architect of Nike SB, Sandy Bodecker’s fingerprints are all over the popular skate brand. In fact, his influence over the success of Nike SB is so great that we could easily fill up this post talking about how he got SB Dunks into the good graces of the skate community and into its most revered shops, on the feet of the best skateboarders in the world, and on the radar of virtually every sneaker collector in the last 20 years.
But that’s another post for another day.
Today we’re taking a trip down memory lane to discuss the Nike SB Dunk High “Sea Crystal” and why it may be the most personal shoe ever created by the late Nike SB figurehead.
Debuted in 2004, the “Sea Crystal” came to be after Bodecker stumbled on a color swatch that brought him back to his childhood days spent searching for sea glass on Connecticut's shores. Because Bodecker wanted the nostalgic warmth of the sea glass to resonate through a sneaker design, he chose to construct the shoe in a pig suede material, which gives the “Sea Crystal” a premium vibe.
Along with its elevated materials, the “Sea Crystal’s” unique color scheme made it a favorite among sneaker collectors and Nike SB team riders alike back in the day. Just check out these clips of a who’s-who of early 2000s skate kings in the “Sea Crystal” for proof.