Sotheby’s launches first Nike Skateboarding auction, rare SB Dunks to be featured

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of Nike Skateboarding (SB), Sotheby’s, one of the world’s largest brokers, has curated an extensive collection of 100 SB sneakers ranging from highly coveted grails to notable classics for auction. 

The event, titled Nike SB | 20 Years is Sotheby’s first dedicated auction to the label and will run till Apr 25. 

Featuring distinctive designs that comprise guitar cases, horror films and even beer bottles, the SB Dunks represent the pinnacle of creativity and experimental concepts for Nike. 

The cream of the crop is the Nike SB Dunk High Pro “FLOM”, designed by Brooklyn local graffiti artist Futura. 

The sneaker is accompanied by a shoe box and a skateboard deck, both signed by him. 

“FLOM” is an acronym for “For Love or Money”, as represented by the patterns which depict different denominations of printed money. 

With only 24 pairs in the world and even less in an unworn condition, the rarity of these Dunks are unparalleled. Unsurprisingly, the last “FLOM” sold during a Sotheby’s auction fetched a record-breaking US$63,000 (S$86,110). 

Another highlight of the roster is the Nike SB Dunk Low Pro ‘Paris’ Bernard Buffet which pays tribute to the city of Paris in Nike’s 2003 travelling White Dunk Exhibition. 

Being a promotional sample rather than a regular release makes this pair exceedingly scarce. 

Other big-ticket items include the Concepts x Nike SB Dunk “Red Lobster,” the “Freddy Krueger” SB Dunk and a pair of Supreme “Black Cement” Dunks. 

However, the auction is not exclusive to just rare Dunks. The roster will also encompass classics such as the Nike SB Blazer Premium “Milk Carton” and the Nike SB Zoom Stefan Janoski Michael Lau “10th Gardener”. 

Those who are interested to partake in the auction or simply wish to peruse the collection can head over to Sotheby’s website.