The Complete History of Stussy x Nike Collaborations
Stussy and Nike may be one of the most iconic duos ever to grace the release calendar.
A look through their back catalogue shows this pairing was the first of its kind, ahead of the curb when it comes to collaboration. Beginning in 2000, and now over two decades in, the titans have consistently delivered – creating a legacy that will be forever remembered.
Take a journey through time and dive into the relationship between Stussy and the Swoosh.
Stussy x Nike Huarache (2000 and 2021)
Michael Kopelman of Stussy UK and Nike’s Fraser Cooke unknowingly kicked off the decades-long partnership in the year 2000. The duo delivered an extremely limited run of Air Huaraches, including the ‘Desert Oak’ and ‘Dark Olive’, exclusively sold at the Stussy London chapter store. Rocking muted palettes, they favoured the lifestyle market and were a shift away from the neon-adorned OG Huaraches. A rare piece of sneaker history, this went down as Stussy’s first-ever Nike colab. In the years following, the collaborative Huaraches became grails for collectors around the globe. A peak in market value happened circa 2013 after TV personality Joey Essex posted his ‘Dark Olive’ pair to Twitter.
It all changed when Stussy’s Spring 2021 lookbook was released, showcasing models wearing box-fresh Stussy Huaraches and hinting a retro was on the horizon. Sure enough, both colourways returned to plenty of fanfare.
Stussy x Nike Dunk High (2001)
The 2001 Stussy x Nike Dunk High was an important silhouette in sneaker history, setting the standard for collaborations in the decades to follow. Two colourways were crafted for this collaborative pack, one in tonal brown and another in black and white. Highly limited, only 24 pairs were released in each Stussy chapter store per day, causing massive lines for over two weeks until all the stock was sold out. It’s also been documented as the first time a specialty fabric was used on the medial and lateral Swooshes.
Stussy x Nike Blazer Mid (2002)
The Nike Blazer was initially intended to be a basketball sneaker, but during the turn of the century became adopted by skaters, just like the Dunk. Stussy delivered their own iteration of the Blazer Mid in 2002, hitting an instant classic with their unique and bold take on a soon-to-be skate icon. Once again, pairs were released in ultra-limited quantities, and tracking them down today would prove difficult.
Stussy x Nike Huarache Light (2003)
Stussy’s Nike Huarache Light is the rarest collaboration the duo ever produced. Team Swoosh created a small run of pairs that released in 2002 and featured an embroidered Stussy logo on the heel, marking the first time Nike co-branded their footwear. Unfortunately, these were never cleared for resale and were only gifted to Stussy’s Friends and Family.
Stussy x Nike SB Dunk Low (2005)
This sweet-as-ice-cream make-up of the infamous Nike SB Dunk Low came straight from the hungry mind of the then Stussy team manager, Robbie Jeffers. This is possibly the most popular and highly sought after colab from the duo, taking inspiration from Neapolitan ice cream for its strawberry, chocolate and vanilla colourway. Dubbed the ‘Cherry’ after the subtle red hint on the tongue, picking up a pair nowadays will set you back upwards of four figures. Thanks, ,Travis Scott!
Stussy x Nike Court Force XXV (2005)
To commemorate Stussy’s 25th anniversary, Nike’s Court Force became the blank canvas for a special detail-oriented release. The Swoosh, toe guard, and heel came dressed in a crocodile texture, and the main Stussy cities were printed across the heel and footbed, while the vintage Stussy Tom-Tom print made its appearance on the tongue. The original samples had song lyrics printed on the heels, but this was never cleared for release.
Stussy x Nike Blazer Mid ‘73 ‘Clerks Pack’ (2005)
Between 2005 and 2006, Nike began collaborating with iconic sneaker boutiques in major metropolises around the globe. Starting in Los Angeles, they tapped UNDFTD for a Dunk High, Union for an Air Force 180 and, of course, Stussy for a crisp Blazer Mid. Due to its relative obscurity, the ‘Clerks Pack’ is an often forgotten part of Stussy’s collaborative legacy.
Stussy x Nike ‘World Tour Project’ (2006)
In 2006, Stussy began their World Tour Project, which involved 40 artists coming together to create their own interpretation of the classic Stussy World Tour t-shirt. To accompany this international endeavour, they dropped four new colourways of the ostrich Swoosh Dunk High along with two other silhouettes: the Trainer Dunk Low and the Free Trail 5.0.
Stussy x Nike Court Force Low (2006)
Stussy were on a hot streak between 2005 and 2006, rounding out the era with the Court Force Low. They crafted two colourways, both focusing on the light-blue tone – one primarily in black and another in alternate white. This colab was centred around the London chapter store, and Leon Dixon Goulden, the manager at the time, featured as a figurine that dropped alongside the shoes, designed by James Jarvis.
Stussy x NEIGHBORHOOD x Nike ‘Boneyards’ (2008)
After a two-year hiatus, Stussy and Nike called on Japanese heavyweights NEIGHBORHOOD, inviting them for somewhat of a ménage à trois and ultimately delivering the ‘Boneyards’ collection. Featuring the Blazer and Terminator, the heavily branded pack was released with an entire range of additional apparel and accessories.
Stussy x Nike All Court Mid ‘XXX’ (2010)
Having already proven to both Nike and the world that their design decisions were a sure-fire hit, Stussy released a slew of co-branded and textured Swoosh All Court Mids in celebration of their 30th anniversary. A Sportswear Destroyer Varsity letterman jacket and t-shirt were released as part of the capsule, while a third ‘Royal Blue’ canvas edition was reserved for Friends and Family.
Stussy x Nike Sky Force 88 Mid (2012)
With an embossed SS link logo on the tongue of the Nike Sky Force 88 Mid, appearing as an updated version of the Sky Force logo, the 2012 collection of four colourways was truly a force to be reckoned with.
Stussy x Nike ‘S&S Off Mountain Series’ (2012)
In an effort to combine the driving influences from each brand, three silhouettes explored the duality and functionality of footwear across different environments. Named the ‘S&S Off Mountain Series’, the Mogan 2, Lunar Braata Mid and Dunk used snow, sand and street as a focus to combine Nike’s extensive history of innovation with Stussy’s firm foothold in various subcultures.
Stussy x Nike SB Trainerendor Low (2013)
Combining skate-ready tech from Nike SB with rugged elements of Nike’s ACG, Stussy wanted to take their 2013 venture in a new direction. They looked to the fitness-geared Nike ACG Trainerendor Low, recreating it with elements made for skaters. The whole Stussy tribe were involved, with the colab tagline being ‘Welcome to the Tribe’s training program’.
Stussy x Nike Air Max 95 (2015)
To celebrate Stussy’s 35th Anniversary and the Air Max 95’s 20th, the two brands released a deceivingly subtle collection of AM95s. The simple yet effective makeup of the 1995 classic merges Nike’s history of iconic designs with Stussy’s contemporary sportswear aesthetic. Each pair features branding underneath the Air unit, with the neoprene tongue acting as an ode to the first collaboration released by the pair.
Stussy x Nike SB Blazer Mid and Low (2018)
The match made in heaven came together again in 2018 to release two SB Blazers in correlation with two different team riders. The Blazer Low ‘KT’ for Kevin Terpening featured hairy suede with his logo emblazoned on the tongue, while the Blazer Mid celebrated Lance Mountain’s longevity in the skateboarding scene.
Stussy x Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage (2020)
Stussy and Nike reunited again in 2020, shaking the sneakersphere to its core with the Zoom Spiridon Cage. It kicked off the return of the Steven Smith-designed silhouette, bringing it into the zeitgeist. ‘Pure Platinum’ and ‘Fossil’ colourways were released and began their tonal collaboration era, which the streetwear brand continues to this day. A month after the initial drop, a third black iteration was released, continuing the Spiridon Cage hype.
Stussy x Nike Air Zoom Spiridon KK (2020)
Stussy hit the world with a one-two in 2020, immediately following the Spiridon Cage with the Spiridon KK. This collaborative model leaked around the same time as its predecessor and boasted a similar construction, instead with the plastic cage surrounding the upper. Donated from its Y2K sibling, the Air Kukini, webbed detail added another jarring layer to the Spiridon KK’s aggressive silhouette.
Stussy x Nike Air Force 1 (2020)
The hype train continued for Stussy and Nike in 2020 when the duo kicked off their Air Force 1 linkup, continuing the tonal look with a black-on-black and ‘Fossil’ build. Similar to the Zoom Spiridon Cage, its uppers were constructed of hemp and came with subtle branded detailing – another signature of the streetwear brand.
Stussy x Nike Air Force 1 Hand-Dyed (2021)
Throwing it back to the Stussy colabs of yesteryear, these hand-dyed Air Force 1s were given an extremely limited run. Using their own AF-1, Stussy touched base with Lookout & Wonderland – an LA-based company specialising in natural fibres – to create a batch of sneakers in five unique colourways. Each represented the cities in the Stussy World Tour series: New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, London and Paris. And due to the dying process, no two pairs were alike!
Stussy x Nike Air Force 1 Mid (2022)
Kicking off 2022 and the Air Force 1s 40th anniversary, Stussy and Nike linked again for a Mid-top venture. The result was a three-colourway pack that used their signature ‘Fossil’ hue, classic two-tone combo and simple black and white.
Stussy x Nike Air Max 2013 (2022)
No stranger to hectic hybrids, Stussy was tapped by Nike to combine two Air Max silhouettes – the 2013 and 2015. They kept true with another ‘Fossil’ combo, continuing the hemp vibe, but threw a spanner in the works with pretty pink and black iterations. The latter two opted for synthetic materials and exuded a technical feel.
Stussy x Nike Air Max Penny 2 (2022)
The Air Max Penny 1 is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance in 2022, so it was only fitting that Penny Hardaway’s second signature model got some attention too! For Stussy’s most recent venture, they looked to the Air Max Penny 2. Multiple colourways have been rumoured to release alongside the black pair, so keep it locked to Sneaker Freaker for release updates.
Stay up to date on every Stussy x Nike collaboration as it happens here! And hit the link below to shop the latest from Nike.