Athletic innovation meets skate durability in Nike's dedicated skateboarding line, bringing basketball-inspired cushioning and technical materials to create some of skating's most iconic modern silhouettes.
Nike's journey into skateboarding wasn't an overnight success story—their first attempts in the late 90s fell flat against core skate brands before they regrouped and launched SB in 2002 with a crucial strategy: authenticity through respected skaters and skate shop exclusivity. This relaunch, spearheaded by former pro Sandy Bodecker, saw them recruit legitimate skateboarding talent like Gino Iannucci, Richard Mulder, and eventually Paul Rodriguez—proving they were serious about serving skateboarding's specific needs. The Dunk SB, originally a basketball shoe repurposed with fatter tongues and Zoom Air cushioning, became skateboarding's unlikely grail when collaborations with artists like Futura and Supreme created collector frenzy. Beyond hype, Nike SB's technological contributions transformed performance expectations, with innovations like the Janoski creating a minimalist revolution that influenced an entire generation of skate shoe design. Their video output, from the "Nothing But the Truth" era through the SB Chronicles series and "BLESSED," showcased technically progressive skating from a team that grew to include heavy hitters like Grant Taylor, Ishod Wair, and Rayssa Leal. While debates about corporate influence in skateboarding continue, Nike SB's dedication to supporting skateboarding's infrastructure through shop collaborations, skatepark builds, and contest sponsorships has earned them a permanent place in the culture. At Venue, we stock their core performance models from the tech-forward Nyjah Free to the classic Blazer, each representing Nike's unique combination of athletic innovation and skateboarding's practical demands.
