From the Vault: Nike SB Dunk High “Twin Peaks”
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By Stadium Goods |From the Vault: Nike SB Dunk High “Twin Peaks”
Since it’s Halloween time, we’re taking a look at one of the spookiest Nike SB Dunks ever.
Matt DeSciora
The Nike SB Dunk may have reached the peak of its initial popularity in the mid-2000s, but there were still plenty of colorways that piqued the interest of sneaker collectors by the end of that decade, such as the sneaker we’re excited to feature on this today’s From the Vault entry: the Nike SB Dunk High “Twin Peaks” from 2009. Inspired by the television series of the same name, the “Twin Peaks” is a great example of the Nike SB crew’s ability to draw inspiration from all facets of pop culture.
Before we get into the SB Dunk High “Twin Peaks,” let’s first talk about the sneaker’s inspiration: “Twin Peaks,” the television show. Created by Mark Frost and David Lynch and first aired in 1990, “Twin Peaks” is a mystery serial drama that follows an investigation by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper and a sherif named Harry S. Truman into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. As you would imagine, the SB Dunk High “Twin Peaks” features references to the show, the most obvious being the blue owl that appears on the shoe’s collar.
Now that you have a little insight into the backstory, let’s talk about the design of the sneaker in question. This Dunk’s unique combination of materials—buttery suede and textured leather—weren’t as commonly seen on shoes back in 2009 as they are today, which made the colorway stand out as one of the more interesting SB Dunks of its era. The woodgrain texture on the collar and leaf pattern on the mid-panel reference the woodland environment of the Pacific Northwest where the show is set, and the neon green contrast stitching is inspired by the “Twin Peaks” title and credits in the opening of each episode. The sneaker’s final nod to the murder-mystery-horror-comedy series is found on the graphic on the insoles. You’ll just have to watch Twin Peaks to understand the zig-zag design.
Looking back, there wasn’t a ton of hype behind the Nike SB Dunk High “Twin Peaks” when it debuted all those years ago. Pairs were relatively easy to get, compared to the hype of Nike SB Dunk releases now. But for fans of “Twin Peaks” and SB Dunks, the colorway has certainly reached “collector’s item” status in 2023, and to find a deadstock pair like the one we currently have at Stadium Goods is becoming increasingly hard. Sneakers aren’t always what they seem, either.