Standout pieces look as if they came straight out of the hit 80s-inspired show.
Nike is stepping back into the Upside Down with a series of hot kicks and fresh threads inspired by the hit Netflix show Stranger Things. And it’s a collaboration that makes perfect sense. After all, it was also in the 1980s that Nike cemented itself as an icon in the athletic and streetwear industry.
For its tie-up with Netflix this year, the sportswear giant is rolling out four distinct silhouettes timed with the release of the show’s fifth and final season. The lineup isn’t like any other merch—they are show-accurate. It starts with the Stranger Things x Nike Dunk Low “Phantom/Midnight Navy,” which the duo unveiled last October 25.
In true Stranger Things fashion, the pair features a worn-in design concept. Its cracked leather upper, yellowed tongues, and pre-dirtied soles appear as if these Dunk Lows have been through the same adventures as the gang from Hawkins High School. The thematic storytelling continues with the inverted Nike logos on the tongue, insole, and heel in reference to the show’s dark, parallel “Upside Down” world.
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The neat kicks, which Nike describes as a pair that “tell the story of unbelievable survival,” come with stained laces “from unexplainable exposure from the other side. They will be shipped in a special packaging, which also contains pins, a distressed newspaper, and other knick-knacks inspired by the show.
There is no word yet about the sneaker’s release in the Philippines, but if you’re a diehard fan, you’d better gear up for its release on Nike US’ website on November 6. It comes with a $155 (P9,100) price tag plus, of course, shipping fees from Nike US and third-party forwarding services. Another version of the pair, which comes in a striking Black/Speed Red–Varsity Red–Anthracite colorway, will join following this drop.
These must-have sneaks are only the beginning of a wide lineup inspired by the hit series. Rolling out next are other kicks connected to specific characters from the series. There’s the Stranger Things x Nike Air Ma 1 ’87, which comes in burgundy, grey, and white, that mirrors Steve Harrington’s signature varsity aesthetic.
Meanwhile, Eleven’s pair is a Field General High, with white and silver leather uppers that sit on black outsoles. Erica Sinclair is getting her own sneakers, too, in a LD-1000 with a purple upper jazzed up with a Swoosh in striking yellow.
Every silhouette in the collection, from the Dunk Low to the Field General High, was all released in the 1980s, where Stranger Things and its fictional town of Hawkins take place. This is except for the LD-1000, which was first launched in 1977 to support long-distance runners.
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The clothing side of the collaboration is likewise pulled from the 1980s. It features track jackets, sweatsuits, hoodies, and t-shirts with reference to Hawkins and phrases like “Friends Don’t Lie” and “Born to Run” lifted directly from dialogue in the show.
This isn’t the first time that Nike collaborated with Stranger Things. It previously dropped a collection in 2019 headlined by pairs of Nike Cortez, Blazer, and Tailwind. It was released in two parts, with the first one featuring color ways and logos based on Hawkins High School, while the second, known as the “OG Pack,” has a red, white, and blue color scheme reminiscent of the 1985 Independence Day celebration.
As for the show itself, Stranger Things’ final season is set to premiere in three parts: the first volume of four episodes will debut on November 26, followed by the second with three episodes on December 25, and the series finale on December 31. Know more about the show below
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