The infamous Nike “Panda” Dunks: Their popularity and anticipated “Reverse Panda” drop

These sneakers have found their way into everyone’s hearts…and closets. 

Before their release, I had never seen a pair of sneakers populate the fashion community with a giant wave of consumerism. But the Nike “Panda” Dunks changed that. In fact, before their black and white colorway graced the feet of hundreds of sneakerheads and amateur fashion lovers alike, they found their way into my closet. I even remember the day I waited for their release; tuning in to the soft buzz of excitement around the shoes, and anxiously waiting for them to drop. When they did, the buzz seemed to die down. I asked my friend for his opinion on the shoes, and was met with a, “Why not?” So I caved. A couple of hundred dollars later, they’re sitting on the floor of my closet, still pristine, but have touched the grounds of places from New York City, all the way to Milan, Italy. 

However, now it seems wherever you look, there they are. From hypebeast to casual, these sneakers have a grip on society. I theorize most people, like myself, saw them and said, “Meh, they’ll go with everything. Why not?” And now, they’re everywhere. At an average price point of just over $200, this colorway of a luxury-considered shoe style quickly became not too out-of-reach for those who saw it as a staple item in their closet. An item that would undoubtedly go with everything. 

But their extreme versatility in the fashion world has not stopped the internet from rifting into division regarding the shoe. While the majority of sneaker connoisseurs have pledged unwavering support for the sneakers, and Nike Dunks in general, from time to time a few nay-sayers will toss in their two cents calling the sneakers “cringe” or “the new Air Force 1.” 

Just as we thought the hype around the “Panda” Nike Dunks was old news, the sneaker community now has new material to buzz about: Nike “Reverse Panda” Dunks. Think of the original “Panda” Dunks, with their main black coloring, black swoosh, and black outer sole up against crisp white. Now flip it. That is the “Reverse Panda,” or so it is anticipated thanks to Nike image releases. The “Reverse Panda’s” will have a main white color, white swoosh, and white outer sole up against the traditional black. Most likely, the “Reverse Panda” Dunks will retail for around the same price, if not more. But there is already a considerable buzz about the shoe, as well as a considerable amount of memes.