Nike’s New Grateful Dead Sneakers Have a Hidden Pouch (For Weed?)
Nike and psychedelic rock legends The Grateful Dead have partnered up on a new line of sneakers and they even feature a zip-up pouch, pandering to certain proclivities of the group's fanbase (you can put weed in there — wherever it is legal, of course).
The SB Dunk Low footwear will come in three colors — green, yellow and orange — and features The Grateful Dead's dancing bear mascot on the tongue with two more adorning the sock liner by the heel. The sneakers are made of a mix of faux-fur, which are used to accent parts of the shoe, and suede. That tongue also doubles as the aforementioned coveted zip-up pouch.
Photos of the Grateful Dead line of sneakers can be seen further down the page.
The orange option (not yet pictured on Nike's website) will be released July 18 with the yellow and green varieties coming July 24 at select outlets. Visit the Nike website for more information.
The dancing bear mascot has long been synonymous with the Grateful Dead name and is a time-tested symbol of rock 'n' roll iconography. The band's audio engineer, dubbed "Bear," not only pioneered the band's groundbreaking "Wall of Sound" approach to live music but assisted in the design of the lovable cartoon.
"As the band’s benefactor, Bear was an incredibly huge part of the Grateful Dead’s ability to become who they were,” said David Lemieux, the Dead's archivist and legacy manager. “They were talented musicians, but they would not have had the financial freedom to forgo jobs, move to Los Angeles and practice for 14 hours a day. The band wouldn’t become what it is today without Bear’s innovations and contributions. The same fiercely independent spirit from [Nike SB founder Sandy] Bodecker helped create that authenticity within the skate community," he praised.
Nike's SB Dunk Low Grateful Dead Sneakers
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