A Golden Ticket: Timothée Chalamet’s Special ‘Wonka’ Nike Dunks

Dropping as part of the promotion of the upcoming ‘Wonka’ movie – superstar actor Timothée Chalamet was shocked to hear of his chance to design his very own Nike sneaker, choosing the beloved Nike Dunk as the base. When asked about his invitation from Nike to design the shoe, he quoted visiting the Nike campus as like “visiting the real Willa Wonka Factory.” Looking at famous old Dunks like the “What The Dunk” and the creative elements of the Nike x sacai collaborations, Chalamet wanted to design a shoe that was out of the box and a true tribute to the film. We think he’s hit the nail on the head with the finished product, and getting your hands on a pair will be just as difficult as obtaining a golden ticket.

When designing the ‘Wonka’ Nike Dunks, Timothée wanted to draw inspiration from the young Willy Wonka who was full of ambition and joy, before the success he grew to gain through his famous chocolate factory, portrayed perfectly by Gene Wilder in the original Willy Wonka movie released in 1971. Taking on this mentality in the flesh, the ‘Wonka' Nike Dunks boast a patterned upper inspired by the inner lining of the jacket Wonka wears in the latest film, straying away from the traditional purple we’ve become accustomed to seeing the beloved chocolatier wearing. Burgundy velvet dresses the tongue, laces, heel tab, and swoosh to match the coat's outside aesthetic, whilst the cloud candy that Wonka peddles in the film appears on the heel tag. The infamous ‘W’ logo is etched on a brown leather tab to complete the tongue, a luxurious detail that is contrary to the overall distressed look of the shoe, even down to the swoosh that sports an almost handmade finish, all inspired by the wardrobe of young Wonka in the film.