The Air Jordan 1 is the favourite shoe of most sneaker heads in the world and with the release of the new film about the shoes origin - 'AIR'. I wanted to discuss how the shoe became the icon it is today.
Here is actually a photo I took of my own pair that I recently bought, the specific colour way is dubbed the 'Lost and Found' and is inspired by the idea of an original 1985 Chicago AJ 1 being lost in the back of a stockroom and found today. Very much a fairy tale story. A better image of the colour way is also shown here.
The Air Jordan was first developed to try to entice a young Michael Jordan into signing a contract with up and coming sportswear brand Nike. At this time Michael had just finished his college career with North Carolina and graduated with his college degree in 1984. He was the next big thing in basketball at the time and was approached by all types of American companies to sign endorsement contracts Nike gave Michael an offer that other brands didn't - his own shoe. Other brands could offer MJ a lot more money so Nike attempted to compensate by offering him shares in the company - a gamble for young Mike but I bet he's glad he took it now.
So Michael believed in the brand and a revolution was started. The Air Jordan 1 Chicago was the first product from the partnership. The first pair were in the colour way I've briefly already mentioned and released in 1985 in Chicago Bulls team colours (the team that drafted young MJ into the National Basketball Association in the states).
Original 1985 Air Jordan 1 'Chicago'
The shoe instantly turned heads, and it wasn't always being purchased for the court. People were buying it to just walk around! This was the first time that a basketball shoe had really transitioned into a lifestyle shoe, it started a precedent that became the sneaker culture that is well established today.
From a pure looks point of view, I'm a big fan. The colour way is simple but effective with the rich red contrasting the white and black. The leather upper is meant to be durable and pliable so as to get more comfortable over time. You can see not only the nike logo but the small Air Jordan logo on the top panel. It does a great job of being simple but still eye catching.
Since the AJ1 30+ models have been made of the Air Jordan and the brand has been a giant of the basketball industry and culture in America. The Air Jordan 1 has also been remade in 100s of colour ways over the years and Jordan and Nike continue to produce new colour ways to this day. It's also unique as it was one of the first shoes to make a comeback to Nike's range after it was retired which turned out to be a very profitable decision for Nike. Internationally renowned designers have put their spin on the shoe for years, including the famous Off White x Air Jordan 1 collaborations from the late Virgil Abloh which now sell for upwards of £5000 in some colourways. For my generations the silhouette has been integrated in fashion culture.
White Colourway of OFF WHITE x Air Jordan 1
I will briefly mention that in terms of comfort there is no comparison between modern insoles and cushioning compared to these. They hurt to wear for a long time and I sometimes wonder how Michael played a whole season in them without his feet falling off! Despite this though, I do still wear mine - a lot. So why do I keep coming back to them if comfort isn't the reason?
What I love so much about this shoe is that it's the one that started it all. As a basketball player the culture I am proud to be a part of probably wouldn't exist in the same way without this shoe. People who don't even know who Michael Jordan is or what the shoe was originally made for own this shoe and love it. When you think of sneakers you think of the Air Jordan 1. In my opinion it is one of the most iconic products in history and transcends the fashion world.
Great design for the Air Jordan 1 is about the impact the design has had, similar I suppose to how the Moka Pot started a coffee revolution - the air Jordan started a cultural revolution. The shoe is visually appealing but its greatest feature for me is the culture it has built..
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