When the Ben Affleck-directed movie Air released in 2023, it provided some lesser known anecdotes into the world’s most famous brand of sneakers for the viewing public. Did you know Michael Jordan’s favorite sneaker brand at the time was Adidas? Or even more interestingly, the fact that his mother played a key role in swinging the deal with Nike?
For true fans and collectors of Air Jordans, however, it was only a matter of time before the story behind these iconic sneakers came to the big screen. When Nike released the shoes on April 1, 1985, Michael Jordan was in his rookie year with the Chicago Bulls. As the player’s stardom rose, so did the shoes’ sales and impact.
How did it start?
In 1984, Nike, Adidas and Converse were all wooing upcoming basketball star Michael Jordan to help sell shoes for them. Peter Moore who was Creative Director at Nike at the time, however, had the idea to design a shoe specially for Michael – a shoe so soft that Michael could feel the ground beneath his feet. Shoes that had ‘Air soles’, which contain compressed air and provide cushion impact to the soles. With the launch of the Air Jordan 1, he changed the sneaker industry with his innovation. When Nike released the Air Jordan 1 in 1985, it quickly became one of the most revolutionary shoes among sneakerheads, earning $126 million in sales in the first year.
NBA policy stated that any shoes worn by a player must be 51% white, but Nike’s design had been modeled on the Chicago Bulls colors of black and red, with only 23% white, earning a $5000 fine for this violation. Nike’s controversial decision to roll out the shoes and pay the fine every game added to their publicity. The NBA could try and keep the sneakers off the court but they couldn’t prevent every youngster in America from wanting them.
Air Jordan sneakers derived their name from Michael Jordan’s in-air style of play immortalized by a photo taken by Jacobus Rentmeester for Life magazine in 1984. When Peter Moore saw the photo, he urged Jordan to recreate it for Air Jordan which resulted in the ‘Jumpman’ logo. The Jumpman logo has undergone a few changes since then, but it can still be found on all Air Jordan products like clothes, shoes, socks and many more.
A legend is born
In 1997, Nike and Michael Jordan launched the ‘Brand Jordan’ shoe line in 1997. They adopted a sustainable business approach and partnered with artists to create new designs. Even with upcoming new designs and styles, Nike’s Air Jordan 1 is still manufactured today and is considered a status symbol by those who own a pair.
Over the next few years, Air Jordan sneakers evolved into an iconic symbol of pop culture, embraced by artists and celebrities alike. Celebrities such as Drake, Billie Eilish, J Balvin and DJ Khaled are known fans of the brand. The shoes broke the barrier between street and couture and inspired collaborations with luxury brands as well
In his 1989 movie Do the Right Thing, American director Spike Lee gave Air Jordan sneakers a starring role. He was such a huge fan of the shoe and the Jumpman logo that he did his own collaborations with Nike which was called Spiz’Ike. Rapper Travis Scott partnered with Nike on Air Force 1 and then went on to create ‘Cactus Jack’ to repeat Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 4, and Air Jordan 6.
When Nike launched the Air Jordan 5 called ‘White Grape’, it was worn by Will Smith on the TV show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Later, Nike introduced Grape 5s which are laceless because Will Smith wore the shoes without laces. The brand’s collaboration with Looney Tunes, particularly in the creation of the Space Jam collection, evoked a sense of nostalgia and further cemented Air Jordan’s position as a cultural phenomenon.
Popularity among Collectors
Sneaker collecting as a hobby also started in the 1980s, and as the brand’s popularity and impact grew, Air Jordan sneakers became one of the most popular collectibles since it embodies the brand’s legacy.
The Air Jordan sneaker collection has designs from 1 to 37. Some of the styles have been reintroduced, becoming the ‘retro’ collection among sneakerheads who are always on a quest to find them:
1. Air Jordan 1 High Chicago
The Air Jordan 1 designed by Peter Moore celebrates its legacy. With its sleek branding and iconic technology, the Air Jordan 1 was specially designed making it a recognizable brand. The black and red Air Jordan has become a vintage collectible.
2. Nike Air Jordan 1 Black Toe
The Air Jordan 1 Black Toe, like the Chicago’s, have white uppers with black-and-red overlays. Instead of red toe panels and eye stays, the Black Toe throwback Jordans stand out with their black eye stays and namesake black toe. The Black Toe is a somewhat rare colorway that is popular among collectors—a second retro was released in 2016, and there are rumors of a ‘reimagined’ version in the works for 2023.
3. Nike Air Jordan 5
This Nike Air Jordan 5 Retro was designed in partnership with Isaac Arzate, a 12-year-old. Following his terrible death, Isaac’s family completed the Jordan 5 Retro design process on his behalf. The black patent leather upper is accented with glow-in-the-dark details, including the wording of a poem written by Isaac the day before he died. On the tongue tag of the Air Jordan 5 is his basketball and baseball jersey numbers, initials, birthday, and date of death.
4. Nike Air Jordan 1 High Black White
The Black/White colorway first appeared in 1985 and was resurrected in 2008 as part of the ‘Countdown Pack’, commemorating the release of the Air Jordan 23. This Jordan from 2014 follows in the same bold history. Unlike the 2008 reissue, these Air Jordan Retros have vintage Nike Air branding on the tongue rather than the Jordan Jumpman.
5. Nike Air Jordan Low East Side
These Jordan Retros, introduced in 2007 as part of the ‘Regional Pack’, were only available on the East Coast. White leather with textured blue overlays and a red Swoosh covers the sleek Low silhouette. The throwback Jordans are adorned with Regional Pack embellishments to make them even more distinct.
6. Nike Air Jordan 3 GS White Cement
After designer Peter Moore left Nike, the Air Jordan 3 is credited with keeping Michael Jordan at the company. Fortunately, Nike enlisted the help of groundbreaking designer Tinker Hatfield, who designed the Air Jordan 3 in collaboration with Jordan. It was the first basketball shoe to have ‘Visible Air’ in the form of an exposed heel unit, as well as the first Jordan to utilize a mid-cut design.
7. Nike Air Jordan 3 Stealth
This eye-catching Air Jordan Retro was released to mark the AJ3’s 23rd anniversary, which is noteworthy due to MJ’s legendary No. 23 jersey. The ‘Stealth’ edition features a tonal grey nubuck upper with light grey cement print overlays, a black midsole, and a white outsole. Varsity Red highlights on the eyelets, internal tongue, and Jumpman emblem break up the generally neutral color scheme.
8. Nike Air Jordan 4 Military Blue
Air Jordan 4 eye-catching design established it as one of the most popular Jordan models, supported by memorable moments both on and off the court. Michael Jordan memorably hit ‘The Shot” over Craig Ehlo while wearing Jordan 4s, and the shoe appears prominently in Spike Lee’s film Do the Right Thing. This Jordan 4 Retro, which debuted in 2006, is the first reproduction of the original Military Blue colorway since its debut in 1989.
Reselling Air Jordans has become a lucrative and highly sought-after venture, particularly among sneaker collectors who consider these shoes a symbol of prestige with a rich history. The value of certain rare Air Jordan models, when compared to the original Air Jordan 1, can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. As Nike continues to release new designs and collections periodically, older Air Jordan sneakers are becoming increasingly coveted as vintage must-haves.
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