Nike SB x
Bluetile Skateshop
Footwear Color DesignÂ
Footwear Product Designer: Althea Fyfe
Footwear Color Design: Heather Truong
Footwear Graphic Design: Steven Gonzalez
Material Design: Philipp Gruenewald
Footwear Developer: Stephen Andrada
Product Line Manager: Alexander Stephens
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For 23 years, Bluetile has been a staple in South Carolina's skateboarding and sneaker communities. Bluetile actively contributes to the skate scene by building new spots and parks, hosting contests, and donating boards to underprivileged communities to help foster the next generation of skateboarders.Â
Irving, a DACA recipient and Mexican immigrant, came to the US with his family at 7 years old, seeking a better future. This Dunk is a tribute to immigration and the resilience of dreamers in the United States, using the monarch butterfly as a symbol of migration and transformation. The monarch's journey across borders reflects the idea that migration is natural and borders are not.Â
Color Research
Using Bluetile's original concept, I served as a guide to execute their idea of the Monarch Butterfly to the maximal potential. Instead of putting a butterfly and calling it a day, my goal was to extend what we could do with this concept -- How does a butterfly see? Where does the butterfly go ? What time of year does it migrate?
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All of these questions I ask when I research. With these details in mind, we decided to to iridescent blue to mimic the butterfly wings, a hexagonal mesh for the swoosh to represent the eye of the butterfly, 3M reflective orange perforations on the vamp that showcase a butterfly in the night, + sunset colors on the outsole and sockliner.
The Launch
Bluetile launched the Dunk at both of their doors in South Carolina on May 2, 2026.
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Many had waited/camped at least two days in line for a chance to score a pair of Dunks.