Consider the following two quotes containing the noun phrase 'Nike Dunks' (a collection of shoes), in which we assume that we are referring to the entire category of these shoes, not a specific sub-category or a selection of Nike Dunks previously mentioned:
[1] Nike Dunks are widely popular amongst footwear fans.
[2] The Nike Dunks are widely popular amongst footwear fans.
My question refers to the usage of the definite article, 'the,' and the zero article (or the absence of any article). I've noticed that in certain plural count noun phrases, the two versions are often used interchangeably without any obvious difference in meaning.
Could someone shed some light on what the difference is (if there is one)? There are several similar questions, but I don't think they address this nuance of interchangeability without altering meaning.