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Wicked is finally hitting cinemas later this week. But before it does, Nike's unwrapped the Wizard of Oz x Nike SB Dunk Low. Which is… unexpected. But maybe that Venn diagram between sneakerheads and musical theatre nerds does exist after all.
While most movie-inspired sneakers keep things pretty simple and straightforward (we're looking at the Air Force 1 ‘Jason Voorhees’ Friday the 13th riff that dropped last month), the big Swoosh has gone all-in. The top half of the shoe is spiced up with a mad, multi-colored print, which is actually a nod to the tripped out scene in the 1939 original when Dorothy (played by Judy Garland) falls asleep on a field full of poppies.
Co-branding is stitched on the tongues, and around the back, you'll find “No place like home” debossed in place. The insole features a still from the film, depicting the Wicked Witch of the West instructing a member of her flying monkey army, and all of this sits on top of a matching midsole. Like all SB Dunks since the dawn of time, this is infused with Zoom Air tech for added comfort and bounce.
Nike could have just left it there, but they've taken it 10 steps further by giving this sneaker a tearaway upper. That means the fabric will begin to wear off over time, revealing a ‘Gym Red’ leather base underneath. It's a cool detail, and it also means that no two pairs will look exactly the same.
The Wizard of Oz x Nike SB Dunk Low ‘Gym Red’ set to release on December 5 at Nike, the SNKRS app, and select stockists globally for $135. Expect these to resell for a lot more, though.
This story originally appeared on British GQ.