NIKE
Panda Dunk
BRAND
NIKE SB
OVERVIEW
In 2005, Jeff Staple’s Nike SB Dunk Low “NYC Pigeon” became an icon, helping bring sneakerhead culture into the mainstream. Years later, Jeff teased the sneaker community on Twitter by sharing photos of early, unreleased samples — one of which stood out: Rejected Sample No. 1, nicknamed “Panda” by fans.
When it came time to launch this new shoe, our challenge was to build a story that transcended its origin as a denied sample. We saw this as an opportunity to connect the sneaker to Jeff’s personal history and immigrant roots — offering fans a deeper narrative about heritage, hustle, and cultural identity.
CREATIVE CONCEPT
The creative direction for the “Panda Pigeon” was inspired by Jeff’s family background: his parents owned and operated an import warehouse in Manhattan’s Chinatown. We wanted the visual storytelling to reflect this — pulling cues from the rich, layered aesthetics of traditional Chinatown import shops. The goal was to create a campaign that felt like a collaborative import — an artifact shaped by the influences of global trade, personal history, and modern sneaker culture.
ROLE
Director of Design
Rejected Sample No. 1
The project was picked up by all the major sneakerhead outlets, the shoes sold out almost instantly, and the special edition box was resold online for over $2K.
Leading up to release day an exclusive launch was held at sneakerhead store Extra Butter (NYC).
(In-Store Display)
(Extra Butter NYC)
(Window Display)
(Pros)
(Panda Stamp)
(Shipping Info)
(Staple Fans)
(Exclusive Panda Icon)
(Staple)
(Translucent sole with New York Post headlines from the documented riot from the original "Pigeon" Dunk's release)
