2 colorways of the Nike Dunk Low SE on SoleBook.
The Nike Dunk Low traces back to 1985, when it launched as a college basketball shoe built on the Terminator/Air Force 1 platform, with team-specific colorways tied to NCAA programs. It crossed into skateboarding in the late '90s and early 2000s, thanks to Nike SB grabbing the low-cut silhouette for its durability and board feel, cementing the Dunk as a streetwear staple beyond hardwood courts. The "SE" tag, short for "Special Edition," started showing up on Nike Dunk Lows as a catch-all label for pairs that fall outside standard retail runs — think premium materials, unusual panel constructions, collaborative-adjacent detailing, or limited distribution without a formal partner name attached. Rather than marking a distinct design era, Dunk Low SE releases function as a flexible category Nike uses to test suede overlays, mismatched paneling, glow-in-the-dark accents, or archival-inspired palettes without tying them to a numbered pack or named collaborator. Since the Dunk's massive 2020-2021 resurgence, SE versions have multiplied, often blurring lines between general release and quiet limited drop, making the tag a signal to collectors that something about the pair is worth a second look.