Crenshaw Skate Club Nike SB Dunk Low Maintenance

Tobey McIntosh moves with passion and determination. Through skateboarding and the natural sense of independence and creativity it fosters, he created his skate-focused label, Crenshaw Skate Club, a platform that allows him to champion skateboarding culture, give back to its local community and to express its unique design language. And this weekend, his latest creative adventure will hit the masses: a Nike Collaboration SB Dunk Low.

Through this project, McIntosh brings inclusivity and representation to the front lines. Similar to his Air Jordan 36 Low PE from 2022, the kicks are adorned with playful graphics, hidden quotes and a mix of materials that pay homage to his Crenshaw roots, but in a way that doesn’t overshadow the look. legacy of his canvas. “I’ve incorporated little Easter eggs that allow wearers to express my own personal connections to the brand in a way that complements the base silhouette,” he told Hypebeast.

Ahead of the launch of the Crenshaw Skate Club x Nike SB Dunk Low, we caught up with McIntosh to discuss all the symbolic aspects of the collaboration, the hardest parts of the design process, and what it was like to gift a pair to her. mother. .

You’ve gone from your mom’s SB Dunks for skating to your very own SB Dunk Low collab. Describe what this full circle moment means to you.

It’s surreal. Thinking back to when I was sneaking around and skating in my mom’s Dunks, I never thought I’d have my own Dunk collab.

There is a ton of symbolism and playful detailing found on the CSC x Nike SB Dunk Low. Tell us your favorites and why you included them.

My zip code on the bottom of the insoles is one of my favorite details because I like to incorporate little bits of me and CSC history. Another favorite of mine is the building blocks inside the left shoe tongue. It also shows through the translucent outsoles, which are a testament to CSC’s growth and indicate that if you surround yourself with the right people, you can keep building and reaching endless heights.

One of my favorite Barack Obama quotes “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for” is split inside the shoes. There’s also a hidden message you’ll find under the overlays revealed by natural wear, but I’ll let everyone figure that out.

The Nike SB Dunk is a staple of sneaker culture. How did you find the right balance between preserving his heritage and his personal touch?

The Dunk is ingrained in our culture and you don’t have to do too much to make it look good. I wanted to add as much detail as possible without moving all of its panels and adding crazy color blocking. With all the graphics and keys, I believe I got it in a pretty good place.

What was the most exciting part of designing this SB Dunk Low?

The most exciting part for me was diving into materials and colors. The entire design team at Nike SB has been very responsive to my situation working with me on Zoom calls and texting me with images, samples and ideas. It was fun playing around with different materials and figuring out how to turn off certain colors to make certain elements of the shoes stand out and complement them.

How about the most difficult?

The hardest parts of the design process were making the final decisions on the little details, like using suede and/or cracked leather or certain panels. Sometimes you are forced to make decisions without even knowing what it will look or feel like and you have to trust that it will look good once it reaches final production. When I’m designing, I usually like to sit with them and watch them over and over to make sure I really like them, but when it comes to shoes, you have to make those calls in a timely manner.

Describe the difference between the design of a performance sneaker like your Air Jordan 36 PE and a skate/lifestyle sneaker like the SB Dunk.

The Air Jordan 36 was a busy sneaker by nature and my goal was to tone down those elements. I wanted to make them easier to wear as a skate shoe that you could also wear on the court with a pair of Dickies or Carhartt pants. Since the SB Dunk is a simpler model, I wanted to include a pattern to spruce it up.

What are your favorite performance aspects in your collaboration?

The suede inside makes the shoes very comfortable while skating and walking. I originally wanted a leather interior, but realized that would make the shoes too warm. I felt like I was doing undercover missions when I tested the samples since I had them sent to my school and I had to keep them a secret.

“It’s only fitting that we celebrate this brand milestone with the people we found.”

Why was it important for you to organize a skate jam in Crenshaw to coincide with this release?

Crenshaw Skate Club is a product of our community and we are made to represent the community. It’s only fitting that we celebrate this brand milestone with the people we found. It didn’t feel right to pull out a shoe and not give people around me a fair chance to buy a pair, so we held a community raffle and made sure everyone who entered had an ID card. Southern California identity. It was an opportunity to bring skaters together, bring in legends like Eric Koston and inspire others.

Can you shed some light on what the clothing graphics were inspired by?

I’ve never told this story before, but the graphic on the blue t-shirt is based on my first fashion company article. We took a picture sitting on this ledge with LA palm trees in the background, so I wanted to pay homage to that image and turn it into a graphic.

You’ve worked with Michael Jordan’s brand and now have seen skate heroes like Dashawn Jordan, Theotis Beasley and Carlos Ribiero create your own SB collab. Does one project mean more to you than another, or are they special in their own way?

Each of them is special in its own way. Michael Jordan’s name is aligned with greatness, and that’s why this project means a lot to me. This Nike SB project is linked to my dreams as a skater. I grew up rocking and skating in Nike SB Dunks, and the Crenshaw Skate Club was a vehicle for me to live those dreams.

What was your mom’s reaction to seeing your collab and did you make sure to get her a pair?

My mom was the first person I gave a pair of samples to. It was amazing to pay her back 10 years later and give her a shoe I designed. It’s funny because once she saw the first pair of swatches she complimented me and said I did a good job but also gave me feedback on how to improve it. It’s where I have an eye for design and I respect her for it.

The Crenshaw Skate Club x Nike SB Dunk Low is set to release on August 5 via select skate shops.