Nike Finally Makes "Panda" Dunks Actually About Pandas for 40th Anniversary
Nike is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Dunk silhouette by reimagining its most ubiquitous colorway with actual panda-themed details for the first time since the "Panda" nickname became sneaker vernacular. The Nike Dunk Low SE "Panda" collection, set to release throughout 2025, abandons the standard leather construction in favor of glossy patent overlays, gradient laces that shift from black to white, and—most significantly—a debossed panda face hidden on the inner tongue tag alongside "EST. 1985" to commemorate the Dunk's original release year. This marks the first time Nike has directly referenced the bear that gave the colorway its nickname, moving beyond the urban legend status that made "Panda" Dunks a cultural phenomenon.
The collection will debut with multiple variations throughout 2025, including the classic black-and-white version in August ($125), followed by "Olive Green" and "Purple" colorways featuring the same patent leather treatment and panda detailing. Nike has even designed special black-and-white split packaging to match the theme, complete with panda hangtags that acknowledge the playful nature of finally making the nickname literal.
