Jason Deng x Nike SB Dunk Low “Street Hawker” Pushed Back

Designed by Guangzhou artist Jason Deng, the Nike SB Dunk Low “Street Hawker” (formerly and incorrectly titled the Nike SB Dunk Low “CNY”) gives big props to the bonding effect food culture has in China. Above, a watercolor painting from Deng shows the design inspiration: six regional dishes from six Chinese cities, combined with a slew of other, subtly-incorporated nods to Chinese cuisine.

Each of the left and right shoes of Jason Deng’s Nike SB Dunk Low comes with a different design, and here’s how it’s broken down:

Starting with the left, it uses a lighter beige for three flour-based dishes. The suede toebox mimics the color and texture of green bean soup (Douzhi) from Beijing. Donut (Jiaoquan) patterns on the forefoot pair with the green bean soup. Embossed suede on the lateral side shows shredded pita bread pieces for a traditional Xi’an dish: pita bread soaked in mutton soup. That mutton soup is represented in water-color patterns across the lateral side. The Swoosh is depicted in a wood-grain texture to represent chopsticks. On the lateral heel, water-color fading looks like Shanghai plain noodles, also called Yangchun noodles. An embroidered 10-cent copper coin appears on the lateral heel, hinting at Yangchun noodles. The left insole resembles a blue sky, inspired by traditional Chinese slang implying that people treat food as their heaven. The blue lining of the left midsole mimics the blue-and-white of fine porcelain bowls.

The right shoe features hotter colors to represent different heats, from spicy to sweet. The metallic color on the right toebox is pulled from Chengdu hotpots in which dishes are cooked. Boiling chili-oil treatments bubble around the toebox. Ostrich leather on the lateral side is inspired by the crispy roasted goose skin that’s famous in Guangzhou. The silver Swoosh resembles the metal hook used to hang the roast goose. The flame and Lychee wood used to roast the goose appears in a watercolor pattern around the eyelets. Shaved ice and taro balls — a common Taipei dessert — can be found on the heel counter. The insole paints the scene of a bench terrace, a landscaping method used to grow rice paddies. The collar lining reflects the color of meat dishes. The yellow outsole represents cooking oils.

Both shoes come with heel tabs featuring Chinese calligraphy for “food” in black and white thread. Four colors of laces are inspired by four essential seasonings in Chinese cuisine: Green (shallots), Yellow (ginger), White (garlic), and Black (black pepper).

Grab an official look at the Street Hawker Dunk Low below, and look for pairs to become available at local skateshops on January 9th, in most countries on SNKRS come January 22nd

If you are planning on picking up a pair, make sure you head to our dedicated Nike Release Dates Calendar to set yourself a reminder for the drop!

Jason Deng x Nike SB Dunk Low “Street Hawker”

Style Code: CV1628-800
Color: Metallic Copper/Light Silver/Pueblo Brown/Metallic Silver
SNKRS Release Date: January 22nd, 2021
Price: $110 USD

First Looks 10.29.20 //