That is where it all began: the legend himself, Michael Jordan. Through his deal with Nike and the popularity surrounding him, the Air Jordan brand was created, also known as Jordan.
In 1984, Jordan began playing basketball in the Nike Air Ship. However, this shoe did not comply with the NBA guidelines, as it broke the 51% rule. This meant that a shoe had to be at least 51% white. Jordan paid little heed to this, though, and wore the basketball shoes for his games anyway, which resulted in a fine from NBA Commissioner David Stern of no less than $5,000 per game. Because Jordan was officially not allowed to wear the shoes, they became more and more popular, partly thanks to commercials and advertising campaigns. To make sure Jordan no longer received these fines, Nike introduced the Air Jordan 1 in 1984. The color released at the time was the iconic Chicago colorway, together with the Black Toe. Both shoes feature red as well as black in their design, representing the Chicago Bulls.
Over the years, the Chicago colorway has become one of the most sought-after versions of the Air Jordan 1 and sells out in no time every time. Unfortunately, the classic Chicago colorway was only released in 1985, 1994, 2013 and 2015. As a result, demand for these Jordan shoes is much greater than supply. That is why people ask hundreds of euros on the resale market for a new or even used pair.
Fortunately, it did not stop at the Air Jordan 1, and dozens of Jordan basketball shoes have been made. The Air Jordan 1 was designed by Peter Moore, but the models Tinker Hatfield designed are certainly worth mentioning too. Tinker designed many Jordans, including the Air Jordan 3 through 7. Many of these models have been re-released over the years in different colors.
Back then, these Air Jordan basketball shoes were known for their performance and their looks. Moreover, back then everyone wanted to fly and dunk just like Michael Jordan himself. Their popularity grew thanks to commercials for the Air Jordan shoes; think, for example, of the Spike Lee commercial “It’s gotta be the shoes,” in which the Air Jordan 5 was promoted.
Many of these Jordan shoes were worn by Jordan during his basketball games. His very first basketball shoe was the Air Jordan 1. The last shoe Jordan himself played in was the Air Jordan 14 in black and red. This Jordan shoe was later dubbed the Air Jordan 14 “Last Shot,” in which Michael Jordan played his final minutes on the basketball court and hit his last shots in the NBA. After Jordan retired from professional basketball, his Jordan shoes did not become any less popular. The man won 6 NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls and has been crowned the greatest basketball player ever by most people. That is also why Jordan Brand is one of the most popular brands worldwide, both among basketball players and among people who don’t play basketball.
However, the original Air Jordans are outdated in terms of technology and cushioning. That is why you rarely see the Air Jordan 1 through 7 on the basketball court. Where you do see these beautiful Jordan shoes is on the street and on the sidelines of the basketball court. Because as popular as the shoes were on the court, they are even more popular as casual wear. The most popular shoe remains the Air Jordan 1: compared to the rest of its Jordan family, this classic high-top model is somewhat more elegant and less bulky than other Jordan shoes.
Today, the Air Jordan 1 comes in all kinds of colors and sizes, for women, men and kids alike. Another reason why not only the Jordan 1 but also the other retros are so popular is the collaborations Jordan enters into with other people and brands. Think, for example, of the Air Jordan 1 in collaboration with Travis Scott and the Air Jordan 4 in Levi’s denim. Through these collaborations, fans of both brands and personalities are drawn to these Jordan shoes, which boosts the popularity of both Jordan and the brand or person it collaborates with.
