20 Years of Nike SB

Twenty years ago skateboarding was hitting a generational boom. More than a single trick, event, or moment, the culture of skateboarding was resonating past its roots. Nike saw a way to push that progression further.

The goals were clear but skateboarding’s always skeptical of anyone on the “outside.” The specter of the Schimp, Snak, and Choad from a short-lived program in the mid-’90s lingered. If it wasn’t different, it wasn’t going to work.

Nike SB was formed in 2002. Rather than making the best possible shoes for skateboarding, SB and Sandy Bodecker sought to understand the landscape, the ecosystem, and the personalities driving it. The shops, the spots, the diehards, the sessions, the collaborations, the collectors, and the creatives that made it unique.

SB’s mission began with a tight-knit team of skateboarders and creatives led by innovation, a lot of listening, and thinking outside the box. From tech, inspiration, or homage, any idea was fair game and over-the-top. For the first time, skateboarders were given the keys and the tools to make their version of skateboarding. The result was two middle fingers up, and hundreds of products that became sought after, essential, and iconic.

“20 Years of SB” is a capsule of that journey. From concept to execution, the exhibit chronicles the stories, personalities, and milestones of Nike SB as we look to the future of skateboarding.