Sometimes sneaker designers stray a little too far from the light. Such is the case with the designer of this Nike SB Dunk Low who drew inspiration from lean, a drink made by mixing promethazine with codeine cough syrup and soda, usually Sprite.
According to the owner of the pair, this sample was never supposed to exist and was to be destroyed once Nike higher-ups caught wind of it. The pattern on the suede overlays represent ice cubes in the “purple drank,” while the crackled white based represents the styrofoam cup in which it is usually consumed. The final touch is the outsole, which comes in a translucent dark red to mimic the look of a codeine medicine bottle.
Of course, Nike does not want to glorify the abuse of prescription pharmaceuticals, so these will never see a public release. Grab a look at the unreleased Nike SB Dunk Low “Promethazine Codeine” sample below.
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