Nike pays tribute to the Porsche 917K racecar with a pair of blue sneakers.
There are no two ways about it: Porsche builds some seriously good-looking cars, including legends such as the classic 356 and the iconic 917 race car. Porsche’s style sometimes bleeds over into other areas of design, as we’ve seen with its recently-launched chronograph wristwatch which is offered exclusively to owners of the new 911 GT3. Porsche clothing and accessories is a massive industry on its own, and Nike, a leader in the world of fashion has recognized Porsche’s drip by announcing a Porsche 917K Gulf Livery-inspired SB Dunk Low Sneaker. These fresh new kicks pay homage to the 1970s Porsche 917 K which participated in numerous endurance racing events.
Nike
Nike
To give you some background, the Porsche 917K race car was designed and built in the 1970s to compete in endurance racing, including Le Mans. It succeeded in winning Porsche its first-ever outright win at the legendary 24-hour race, and has since gone on to become a living legend, and even featured in Steve McQueen’s film Le Mans in 1971. Powering this beast is a 4.5-liter flat-12 engine. The blue and orange livery of the Gulf Oil Company has become an iconic look and one which Nike has perfectly recreated with this SB Dunk Low Sneaker tribute.
The number 58 sits proudly on the heel and tongue and is interestingly not historically associated with the 917K, as the higher number ever featured on one of these racecars was #21.
Nike
Nike
It is possible that this number is a tribute to “Club 58” a famous skate shop collective, after all, the SB Dunk Low Gulf is popular amongst skaters around the globe.
The SB Dunk Low series has played host to numerous collaborations with companies and artists, and now Porsche gets its own turn. This pair of special sneakers feature a soft suede blue upper, while the outsole plays host to the orange streak barely visible on the 917K when barreling down the famous Mulsanne Straight at over 200 mph. These sneakers are any Porsche fan’s dream and are set to be released on February 27 at a price of $100, so keep an eye out on the Nike Website.