Air Jordan(s), also known simply as Jordans, are a brand of shoes and athletic apparel produced by Nike originally designed for and endorsed by the basketball player Michael Jordan. The Air Jordan line is now sold by the Jordan Brand subsidiary of Nike. Air Jordans were first released in 1985, with new designs released annually.
The many styles and color schemes offered for the Air Jordan over the years have spurred a large secondary collectors market. Shoe collectors are known to buy, sell and trade Air Jordans through eBay, sneaker conventions, consignment stores such as Sole Control in Philadelphia and Flight Club in New York City, and sneaker forums such as Niketalk & ISS. Sneakerheads, as collectors are known, classify the Air Jordan line by release year and model: Originals (The first edition of a particular model from its initial launch), Retros (Re-issues of older styles), Retro-pluses (Retro +, Air Jordans that are similar to the Original product, with more up-to-date changes or new color ways), Player Exclusive (PE, Air Jordans that are exclusive to certain athletes in the realm of sports) and Samples. Air Jordan currently sponsors 19 active NBA players. Their main endorser is Dwyane Wade, who plays shooting guard for the Miami Heat. Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony are also key endorsers.
Air Jordans are designed by Peter Moore.[1] The Air Jordan I pair of sneakers was considered a breakthrough in basketball shoe design and colorways.[2]
The Air Jordan I is similar to the Nike Dunk and the Air Force 1 (shoe) in appearance. Although, when first released the Air Jordan's originally sold for $65, but hit retail and clearance racks for as low as $20.
On October 18, the NBA banned the Air Jordan I from being worn in the league. Jordan, however, still wore the Air Jordan I's and was fined $5,000 a game because the sneaker's color was too vibrant for shoe regulations.
In 1994, the Air Jordan I's were "retro'ed" in two different colorways. They sold poorly, once again.
As of 2011, the Air Jordan I has been the most reproduced Air Jordan with over 96 colorways.
The Jordan II, released in 1987, was designed by Bruce Kilgore, who also designed Nike's Air Force 1, and was made in Italy. This was the first of the Jordan series to not feature a Swoosh.[3] Jordan wore this shoe while winning his first NBA slam dunk title. The Jordan II was re-released in 1990 during Jordan's first retirement. Sales were poor and the shoe was heavily discounted.
The Air Jordan III was designed by Tinker Hatfield. It was the first Air Jordan to feature a visible air unit on the heel, the new Jumpman logo, an elephant print trim, and tumble leather for a luxury look.[4] The Air Jordan III were also famous for the humorous ads depicting Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon—the character he played in his film 'She's Gotta Have It'. This campaign was known as "Mars and Mike" ad campaign, which was one of Nike's most successful advertisement campaigns. These were the first Jordans to feature the "NIKE AIR" logo on the back, but later replaced by the Jumpman logo, with the words "AIR" underneath it, similar to the Air Jordan VI. These were said to be Michael Jordan's favorite shoes, he wore them during the 1988 Dunk Championship and many other historical events in his basketball career.
The Air Jordan III's had poor sales when first retro'ed in 1994. However when they were re-retro'ed in 2001, they sold very well. A pair of the Air Jordan III's can sell for over 300 dollars on various sites, one in particular being eBay. The long awaited "Fire Red" Air Jordan III was released in March 2007.
In 2007, Jordan brand collaborated with director Spike Lee to release a limited pair of Air Jordan III's in a colorway that resembled the Do The Right Thing movie poster.
2007 also saw the retroed versions of the Air Jordan III's in two monotone colorways, all black and all white, nicknamed the "Black Cats" and the "Pure Moneys" respectively.
2007 also had the "Flips" which moved the elephant print from the trim to the entire shoe and replacing it with white leather, indeed "Flipping" the original design of white leather with elephant print trim.
In 2009 Jordan Brand re-retroed the highly sought after Air Jordan 3 in the True Blue colorway. It was an international-only release, meaning the USA did not sell them in stores.
In 2011, Jordan brand released a Black History Month (BHM) Jordan 3 colorway in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of Black History Month. The sneaker is black with gold trim and stitching as well as laser print around the toe and heel. The BHM 3 was a very limited quickstrike release and there was said to have been no more than 3,000 pairs made.
Also, 2011 saw the release of the "True Blue" III on June 4. The Stealth colorway of the III was released in July and the Black Cements were released in November. http://www.sneakerfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/air-jordan-3-black-cement-retro.jpg
The "Black Flips" were released on December 3rd, 2011.
The Air Jordan IV shoe was first released in 1989, also designed by Tinker Hatfield. It became the first Jordan shoe released on the global market, with some exceptions.
Spike Lee, the director/actor who helped in the ad campaign for the Air Jordan III, created the Can/Can't TV commercial. Lee also featured the Air Jordan IV in his movie Do The Right Thing in a scene where the character "Buggin Out" (played by Giancarlo Esposito) angrily confronts a bicyclist who accidentally bumps into him and scuffs his Air Jordan IV shoes. After the confrontation, Buggin Out promptly places his shoe on a fire hydrant and cleans the shoe along with making some other subtle changes. One example being "NIKE AIR" logo featured on the back of the shoe being replaced with the Jumpman logo.
In 2006, Nike released several variations of the Air Jordan IV, including "Mars Blackmons" ("Red" IV's with Spike Lee's alter ego on the heel),[5] "Military Blues",[6] and the $500 "Thunder and Lightning" package. Also released the Mist blue color and all white and all black.
These particular variations of the shoe also takes part in the inspiration of the Air Jordan Spiz'ike (the shoe's side-lace strap).
The Air Jordan Retro 4 in its widely sought out White/Cement color way is rumored to be a 2012 retro release.
The Air Jordan IV were on Jordan's feet when he made "The Shot" in Game 5 of the 1989 NBA First Round between the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The original Air Jordan V was released in February 1990, again designed by Hatfield. Some elements were the same from the Air Jordan IV, but the Air Jordan V's most distinctive feature is arguably its reflective tongue. There was also another innovation: clear rubber soles. The soles gave the shoe a whole new and unique look, but it yellowed over time when exposed to moisture. To combat this problem, collectors stored the shoes in a cool, dry place with a desiccant at the soles, most commonly silica.
The Air Jordan V also featured a base top with lace locks, making strapping on the shoe easy. The lacelock feature partly inspired the Air Jordan Spiz'ike. The Air Jordan V model is considered to have the best structure and design to wear during basketball games and sold the most pairs of shoes from the Air Jordan line.
Hatfield is believed to have drawn inspiration for the Air Jordan V from the World War II P-51 Mustang fighter plane; which is most notably visible in the shark teeth shapes on the midsole. The Air Jordan V was retroed in 2000 to great demand, including a new colorway featuring Michael Jordan's high school (Laney High) colors. In 2006 several re-retro V's had released including the very popular LS "Grape" V's, the LS "burgundy" V's, the popular "Fire-Red" V's, the "Green Bean" V's, and "Stealth Blue"[7] V's. Along with the latter, a very limited laser design and the black/metallic/fire red[8] colorways were released in early 2007.
In the month of May 2009, Air Jordan confirmed the release of an "DMP II" consisting of two Air Jordan V's. In March, there has been recent picture leaks of this product, which is also referred as "The Raging Bull" Package. The most of the leaked pictures are of the first Jordan V color way which consist of a composition of buttery varsity red suede on the upper. Paired alongside the eye-catching color is black on the midsole, lace area, tongue and a crystal-clean sole and the classic 3M material tongue.[9] The second color way features a 3M material base with black laces and midsole. The retail price was $310.[10] ' In Q3 of 2011, it is confirmed that Jordan Brand will be releasing a new Jordan 5 Retro Package consisting of the "Laney" and "Grape" colorways.
The Air Jordan VI was released in late 1990 and designed by Tinker Hatfield. Jordan won his first NBA Championship wearing these sneakers. The heel tab of the shoe took inspiration from Michael Jordan's slant-nosed Porsche.
In 2008 a second Olympic colorway was released that consisted of an all-white patent leather upper, black tongue, and all of the Olympic rings' colors on the midsole. On the toebox of the shoe is an embroidered Chinese flower as a symbol of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
To celebrate the defining moment of Jordan’s first championship Nike released a commemorative Black/Gold Air Jordan 6 packaged with a White/Black/Gold Jordan 11 sold as the “Defining Moments Package”. It was released on January 28, 2006 and sold for $295.00.
The entire tongue, and part of the lace locks of the Jordan VI were inspiration for the Air Jordan Spiz'ike. The lace locks and back tab of the Jordan VI were also inspiration for the Air Jordan "Six Rings".
Sakuragi Hanamichi wears Air Jordan VI's in Slam Dunk. They previously belonged to the owner of a shoe store (who happened to collect Air Jordans) that he visited and nearly trashed in his excitement. Hanamichi offered the shopkeeper the ridiculous price of ¥30 (about 30 cents USD) for his shoes, which the man accepted, presumably to get Hanamichi out of the store before he caused any more damage.[11]
In 2010, the Air Jordan VI's were retroed, coming out with a Infrared Pack and several new color ways, there were colorways similar to the Infrared known as the Varsity Red.
The Air Jordan VII was released in 1992. Tinker Hatfield created the Air Jordan VII which had many similarities with the Air Jordan VI model. The Air Jordan VII was unique because it used some of the Nike Huarache technology to create a shoe that really stuck to the consumer's foot. The visible air sole, the Nike Air logo, and the yellowing soles all were no longer featured on the Air Jordan VII. The Air Jordan VII model is also commonly known as the "Hares" because the commercials promoting the shoe featured cartoon character Bugs Bunny. This was the first Air-Jordan in the line that did not have any distinctive "Nike Air" on the outer portions of the shoe. The "Nike Air" can be found on the in-soles. Nike was unhappy about this, but the designer, Tinker Hatfield, had a greater vision believing that the "jumpman" could stand on its own. A precursor to "Jordan Brand" about 6–7 years down the road.
When Jordan went to compete at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics to play for the US Men's Basketball Team (also known as the "Dream Team"), Nike released a special Olympic color combo of the Air Jordan VII model which featured Jordan's Olympic jersey number, 9 while all of the previous Air Jordan models that featured his jersey number had always been the number 23.
Various retros of the Air Jordan VII were released in 2002, again in 2004, and again with different colors in 2006. Also in 2008 Nike released a black and blue pair owned only by Cheikh Mbacké, ordered for $600.
In 2011 the Air Jordan VII saw releases in the "Orion" and "Bordeaux" colorways. Other colorways are confirmed for a 2011 release as well, such as the "Cardinals" which is a rerelease and "Year of the Rabbits". Also the raptor 7 will be rerelease in 2012.
The Air Jordan VIII was released to coincide with the 1992-1993 NBA season.
The eighth model of the Air Jordan was noticeably heavier than its predecessors. Its base was clearly close to that of the Air Jordan VII model, but it had a lot more details, including two crossover straps on each shoe and a jumpman logo. Thus the Air Jordan VIII model became known as the "Punisher" due to its advanced basketball ankle support and superior traction. This shoe contains a full length air sole, crossover straps (for added support and more custom fit), circular pattern midsole and contrast stitching for comfort all the zones on your feet.
Originally released in November 1993, the Air Jordan IX model was the first Air Jordan model release after his retirement. It is noted that Michael Jordan has never played a full season of NBA Basketball wearing these sneakers. This model was created in the form of baseball cleats that Jordan used when playing minor-league baseball.
Like the Air Jordan VIIs and VIII model's, the Air Jordan IX model featured an inner sock sleeve and nubuck accents. The sole featured different symbols and languages of different countries.
The Air Jordan IX has been the shoe chosen to adorn Jordan's feet for his statue outside of the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
In popular culture, in the children's movie The Little Rascals one of the bullies, Butch is wearing a pair of Air Jordan IX.
American Rap Icon Tupac Shakur was also known to wear Air Jordans in a popular "Thug Life" photo set in 1993.
The Air Jordan X is one of the most rarely seen Jordans. They released in 1995 in 8 color ways, Steels, Shadows, Chicago Bulls*, Powder Blue (worn by UNC's Men's and Women's basketball teams), Orlando Magic*, New York Knicks*, Seattle Supersonics*, and Sacramento Kings*. It was the first Air Jordan to feature a light weight phylon midsole. The shoe also featured all of Michael Jordan's accomplishments on the outsole of the shoe. -85 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR -86 63 POINTS -87 SCORING TITLE -88 DUNK CHAMP -89 ALL DEFENSE -90 SCORES 69 POINTS -91 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP -92 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP -93 MVP/CHAMPIONSHIP -94 BEYOND
On January 21, 2012, the Air Jordan 10 - Chicago will make yet another guest appearance. Collectors will get a chance to add them to their collection. They are dubbed the “Chicago Bulls”, as they are part of a regional pack (City Pack) which released, representing five teams. The lacing area and tongue are also completely black, and the red inner lining goes well with the red inserts on the outsole. The outsole’s design features a striped (wavy) design, which list many of Michael’s accomplishments. They will retail at $150. [12]
The Air Jordan XI model was designed by Tinker Hatfield. While Jordan was still pursuing a career in baseball, Hatfield designed the shoe in hopes that Jordan would eventually wear it if he returned to the NBA.
The Jordan XI was meant to stand out with a fusion of performance and style. Copying mountaineering backpacks, the condura nylon upper gave the Air Jordan XI model lightweight durability. Further changes came with the use of a carbon fiber plate on the sole of the shoe, that can be seen underneath the clear outsole, which gave the shoe improved torsional rigidity. The most visually distinct aspect of the shoe was its shiny patent leather mid and toebox. Patent leather was lightweight, when compared to genuine leather, and also tended not to stretch as much - a useful property to help keep the foot within the bounds of the shoebed during direction changes on the court. The shiny leather gave the XI what some described as a "formal" look - a fact that many owners of the shoe took advantage of thereafter, pairing the shoe off the court with business suits in substitution for dress shoes. Boyz II Men wore black and white Air Jordan XI shoes with white suits at one of their concerts.
These sneakers were "sampled" during the playoffs of the year of Jordan's first return (1995). Designer Tinker Hatfield and Nike did not want Michael Jordan playing in them, however, when the sample was completed, Jordan saw it, took it, and said he wanted to wear the shoe. Nike and Hatfield hoped that he would not wear it during the playoffs against Orlando, however, when they tuned in for the game, Ahmad Rashad was holding the shoe for the cameras explaining that they were the "newest" Air Jordan. Hatfield and Nike were highly upset as the shoe was not even in production, and now they would be forced to produce it for the masses. Also to note, Jordan was in violation of the league dress code by wearing the shoes,as his teammates wore all black sneakers. He was then fined $5,000 for not respecting the Bulls colorway policy. After the fining, Nike made him a pair of the shoes in a black/white/concord colorway for the series against Orlando. Jordan also wore this colorway in the movie Space Jam. A similar black/white/royal blue colorway was released to the public at the end of 2000. The colorway was changed for the public release because the concord purple had looked like royal blue on TV.
Jordan wore the Air Jordan XI model to help the Chicago Bulls claim the 1995-1996 NBA championship. The shoes received more media exposure when Michael Jordan wore the Air Jordan XI model in the 1996 Warner Bros. animated movie "Space Jam". These shoes were eventually released in 2000 and re-retro'd in 2009 with the nickname "Space Jams". The concord purple was changed to royal blue for the released versions of the shoe.
Another version of the XI's was released on December 23, 2010 called the "Cool Grey" which he wore with the Wizards. On December 23rd, 2011 the retro release of the XI Concord Edition hit stores to incredible fanfare. Websites like Nike.com reportedly crashed within minutes of the online midnight release. Stores saw individuals waiting in line upwards of days to get their hands on a pair and many people were arrested and pepper-sprayed due to unruly behavior in the waiting crowds. Sites like eBay have shoes up for auction going for as much as $2000/pair. Speculation is abound that there might be a release of "Columbias" in 2012 which feature a mainly white shoe with white patent leather along with a "Carolina Blue" jumpman logo. There is also the concord 11s low and bred 11s low hitting the shelves in 2012
The Air Jordan XII was inspired by "Nisshoki", (the Japanese flag) and a 19th century womans' dress boot. Initial public perception was a disappointment. However, featuring gold-plated steel lace loops, embossed lizard skin pattern and zoom air, this model set a new direction in style and technology in shoe design. Though not as light in weight as previous models, the construction and firmness of the shoe is widely considered to be the most durable and sturdy shoes from the Air Jordan line ever made. This shoe came in 5 colorways and was released on March 13. The shoe was released on December 25, 2008 with the Eleven as the final countdown pack. In addition, the Twelve was combined with the Thirteen numbered Jordan to produce the 12.5. As of today, the 11/12 countdown package (retro) retails for $750–$800, well above the starting price of $310.
The Air Jordan XIII's were released in 1997. This model was designed by Tinker Hatfield and was known for its cushioning along with allowing one's feet to breathe while wearing them. The inspiration for the XIII's was based on the Black Panther. Looking at the bottoms, the sole resembles the pads on a panthers paw. Also the sides on the upper are pitted just like a panthers cheeks from its whiskers. The final queue from the panther is the hologram on the back of the shoe which imitates a panther's eyes in the dark when light is shined at them. They were re-released in 2005, which coincided with the release of the Air Jordan XX shoe.
These were the shoes worn by Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) in the movie He Got Game.
The Jordan Brand re-released the Air Jordan 13 at the end of 2010 which included the French Blue/Flint Grey, White/Red-Black, 'Playoff' color way and the Black/Altitude Green color way.
The Air Jordan XIV (14) was released in 1998/1999. They were the last sneakers Michael Jordan wore during his second stint with the Bulls, hitting the series-winning shot in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals while in the XIV.
Retired in style, the design was inspired by Michael's car, the Ferrari 550 M, and was made by Tinker Hatfield together with Mark Smith. This was the first Air Jordan that would feature laces with metal tips. Something that both the XV's and XVI's designs also would use.
The XIV's also began the trend of having a number of things that would count towards the model number of the shoe. On the XIV's each shoe had seven Jumpmen, the one on the side of the shoe on a Ferrari-like shield. They could be found on the insole, sole, back, side, 2 x lacetip and front. Counting them on both shoes makes it a total of 14 Jumpmen. [13]
The Air Jordan XV (15) was released in 1999/2000. Reggie Miller wore it during the 2000 NBA finals.
This was the first shoe after Michael's retirement. The design of the XV's originated from the air craft X-15 which was developed by NASA during the 1950s and was, to say the least, a bit radical.
The tongue of the shoe was sticking out in a style that very much made the owners' thoughts go directly to Michael himself. The sides of the shoe were in a woven kevlar.
The Jordan 15's were the first Air Jordan's to be negatively received in a while (the last being the Air Jordan 2's), because the quality on the Jordan shoes was bad.
XVI's hit the shelves in 2001.
The XVI's were designed by Nike's Senior Footwear Designer Wilson Smith. This meaning it was the first design since the III's that Tinker Hatfield was not behind. Hatfield was said to have moved up and he left Smith with the hard task of creating a revolutionary new design. Smith decided to bring in a few design elements/fabrics from earlier releases. For instance they saw the return of the clear rubber sole (V, VI, XI) and also featured patent leather (XI).
What made the XVI's unique was the brand new gaiter/shroud that covered the shoe and could be removed to give the shoe a brand new look. Not only was this for fashion purposes, it also had a thermal functionality.
The shoe was said to be a little stiff and that to wear the shroud/gaiter when playing basketball really was not a good idea, as it could easily fall off. The black/red and white/midnight navy versions of the shoe both featured patent leather which very easily creased and cracked. [14]
This shoe comes equipped with Keefer, which held the shoes and a compact disc containing the Air Jordan XVII song. The retail price of the shoe was $200. The defining functional design element of the Air Jordan XVII model which was later replicated on the Air Jordan XXIII model was the reinforced midsole which provided a very sturdy and stable chassis for the shoe. They were made in four mid top colors and three lowtop colors.
The Air Jordan XVIII was released in 2003 and was the shoe for Jordan’s last season, in which Jordan played for the Washington Wizards.
The designer of the Air Jordan 18 was Jordan Senior Footwear Designer Tate Kuerbis, a person that had been part of the Jordan footwear design team since 1999 and with Nike since 1995. The inspiration for the design is a combination of a number of things; Sleek racing lines of the auto world, Carbon fiber-based monocoque of F1 race cars, Race car driving shoes (rubber heel wrap) and Fine Italian dress shoes (bold stitching on the soles).
Released in 2004. This is the first Jordan release after his third, and final, retirement which came after the 2002-2003 NBA season. The design was inspired by the Black Mamba snake, two original colorways where released: white/flint grey and black/red. Three regional colorways and three special edition colorways were released. They consisted of the East, West, and Midwest edition for regular and West, East, and Olympic for the SE (special edition).
The Air Jordan XIX used innovative materials. The upper section of shoe was developed in collaboration with the global materials consultancy Material ConneXion, who sourced Nike a monofilament sleeving normally used in architectural applications for protecting PVC pipes from bursting. In theory, this allowed for a lace-less shoe because the sleeving does not stretch, however the Air Jordan XIX model did include a set of laces behind the sleeve to better secure the shoe. They are the lightest Air Jordans ever made.{{Citation
This revolutionary motorcycle-inspired model celebrated the legacy of Michael Jordan. Equipped with next generation IPS (independent Podular Suspension) cushion, a spherical shape and a laser etched design representing immortalized symbols of Jordan on its lace strap and interior gave this shoe a unique look and performance. As well as being inspired by motorcycles this design was also inspired by bicycling shoes. This is why the strap was placed in the center of the shoe over the laces. It also helped to create a tighter fit and increased support.
The Air Jordan XXI model was designed by D'Wayne Edwards and inspired by the world's finest sport touring vehicles. The shoe features lower-foot air grilles, double-overlasted Phylon midsole, a carbon fiber shank plate and a seamless diamond-quilted booty. It also has an evolutionary tunable I.P.S. suspension system that lets the wearer choose between Zoom and Encapsulated air.
The Air Jordan XXI was introduced on television by the "Second Generation" advertisement.
The Air Jordan XX2/XXII model, designed by D'Wayne Edwards, was released on March 24, 2007. Its original retail price was $175 but has declined. The aggressive and sharp design was inspired by the F-22 Raptor fighter jet. Some technical features of the shoe include an updated visible & interchangeable I.P.S. suspension system, a new metallic mesh for ventilation, the Air Jordan camouflage pattern printed in reflective 3M, and an updated traction system, based on an army general's stripes.
There were two special editions of the Air Jordan XX2 model released. The first edition was released for Jordan's birthday on February 17. This edition featured authentic Jordan Brand basketball leather. The second edition was the Omega model, part of the Alpha-Omega package. This model featured a laser-etched image of Jordan after he won his sixth NBA championship in 1998.
An entirely new line of Air Jordan XX2/XXII shoes called the player editions or "PE's" were released with these shoes worn by NBA players from the Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Dallas Mavericks. This Air Jordan model featured a new strap around the heel and ankle.
The promo commercial for the XX2 was directed by Mark Romanek.[15]
This new edition to the Jordan family was released on January 31, 2009. Only 2,009 pairs were released throughout the country. The USA received 1,005 while overseas received 1,004. The Air Jordan 2009 was designed by Jason Mayden.[16] It somewhat resembles the Air Jordan 14. This shoe was inspired by fencing. It features a small green-blue diamond on the top of the shoe. The special edition retailed for $230, while the regular models will retail for $190.
The New 2009 Air Jordan line was showcased from February 12, 2009 to February 14, 2009 at Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix, Arizona as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. Team Jordan athletes Jayson Mayden and Jadakiss made special appearances to sign autographs. It is called the 2009, as the traditional numbering of shoes discontinued with the previous model, the Air Jordan XX3/XXIII (which coincides with Michael Jordan's main number being 23).
This is the 25th anniversary of the Air Jordan brand, and although commonly called the Jordan 2010s, is also referred to as Air Jordan XX5/XXV. This shoe was announced on November 12, 2009 for a release date of February 13, 2010, retailing for $170. Dwyane Wade is endorsing the AJ 2010.
The base of the each midsole has stylized text that when combined reads: "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." This quote was originally attributed to Michael Jordan, and is a reference to an advertising campaign that aired in 1997 with Jordan detailing his failures that led to his success in his career.
The Air Jordan 2011 was endorsed by Dwyane Wade in 2011, Jordan Brand decided to keep the fans happy with the release of the Air Jordan 2011. The shoe has inter-changeable insoles- The Red, "Explosive" one is claimed to be for power, and a Blue, "Quick" one, supposedly for quickness. Four colorways of the shoe were released on February 19, 2011 in correspondence with the 2011 All Star Game. The first colorway was the White/Black colorway. There were also a White/Red and White/Blue colorway that coincided with the East/West Jersey Colors. The Year Of the Rabbit colorway was a limited QS release that was a celebration of Michael Jordan's Chinese Zodiac sign coinciding with the current zodiac sign, the Year of the Rabbit.
The 2011 has a unique design along both sides of the shoe. It is a star-constellation pattern that also serves as breathing holes for the shoe to keep it well ventilated. It uses Patina Leather wrapped around the shoe. The shoes are hand burnished and crafted. A dress shoe feel similar to the XI was reported to be the goal.
The Air Jordan Dub Zeros were a new creation by Jordan Brand released in 2005. The Air Jordan Dub Zero is a mixture of a handful of Air Jordans. The Jordan Dub Zero features detailed embossing that celebrates the history of the Air Jordan franchise. The Air Jordan 20 was a tribute to Michael Jordan and his career.
The Air Jordan Dub Zero features some of the most recognizable pieces of the most famous Air Jordan shoes.
The Air Jordan Dub Zero is a unique shoe in itself from all other Jordan shoes. It is the only shoe that is a collaboration of several other Jordan shoes, but it is on its own since it is not part of the Air Jordan series, it is not a Retro Jordan, and is not part of the Jumpman Series nor the Jordan Lifestyle line. The shoe sold so well in 2005 that Jordan Brand brought the shoe back one last time at the end of 2006. The Jordan Brand released 4 other colorways of the Dub Zero starting in May 2009.
Like all Jordan shoes made, there are a lot of fake Jordan Dub Zeros. Most are quite humorous since there are many colorways floating around featuring Sponge Bob Dub Zeros.
Even though the Air Jordan Dub Zeros were made up of many Retro’s and previously released Jordans, this particular model was not a Retro. A total of five Air Jordan Dub Zeros have released, and sales for each one was selling out within days.
The Jordan Brand released their first two-pair package named the Defining Moments Package(DMP) which consisted of the Air Jordan VI Retro and Air Jordan XI
The Jordan Brand released a second Defining Moments package. Another name of this Defining Moments package is the "Raging Bull" Package(RBP). The two-pair package consists two pairs of the Air Jordan V Retro model in a Varsity Red/Black-White (Red Suedes) and Black/Varsity Red with black 3M reflective material (Black 3M). The Defining Moments II or Raging Bull was released on May 23, 2009 and is sold for $310.00 or higher which is the same price as the Air Jordan Collezione Packages!
The Jordan Brand released a third Defining Moments package on July 11, 2009. The 60+ Air Jordan Retro 1 Package is inspired by MJ dropping 63 points on the Celtics in a double overtime playoff game during his rookie year. The Air Jordan Retro 1 60+ Package features a retro of the sneakers that MJ wore during the 63 point barrage, and a Retro Air Jordan 1 inspired by the Celtics colors and the parque floors from the old Boston Garden.
The Jordan Brand released a fourth Defining Moments package on August 15, 2009. This package also known as the Orlando 60+ pack, consists of the Jordan 7 black and red. Also included is a second pair of air jordan 7's. The "Orlando" pair features a white leather upper with black and blue accents. The blue accents featured a cracked print. The black tongue had black pinstripes which represented the black pinstriped Orlando jersey of the 90's.
The most famous Jordan 6 white/infrared and black/infrared finally made its way back the second time after 10 years. But this time they come back as a package, and together! The Jordan retro 6 infrared pack. It was released on June 19, 2010. Retailed price $310USD. This is the second of the same colorway retro in Jordan Brand history. The first time retro on both colorways were in 2000, they were retro separately. This time, the retro distinguished with the previous retro. The heel logo are using Jumpman logo instead of Nike Air logo, this is the most significant difference between these two retros. Jordan Brand started using Jumpman logo to substituted Nike Air logo since 2002. Since then, on their shoe products, the Nike Air logos are not existed anymore.
The Jordan Brand released their second two-pair package named the Old Love New Love (OLNL) (or less commonly known as the Beginning Moments)which consisted of the Air Jordan I Retro model in White/Black-Varsity Red (Black Toes) and Black/Varsity-Maize/White.[17] It was released on April 21, 2007. The Old Love New Love package was sold for $200.00.
The Air Jordan Spiz'ike combines the best elements from the Jordan 3, 4, 5, 6, and 20. It was created to commemorate Spike Lee during the Mars Blackmon Era. First released in October 2006.
It was initially nicknamed the “retro Frankenstein”, the Air Jordan Spizikes (Spiz’ikes) had as many haters as lovers initially and probably a few more. Many anticipated that this was going to be a bust, but when word got out that the first colorway of the Air Jordan Spizikes would only be available along I-95 (as per Spike Lee’s request), the hype for these shoes boomed!
Initially, the Air Jordan Spizikes were going to be released in only the first two colorways, but after the more than warm reception to the first colorway, Jordan Brand fast tracked 5 new colorways including one that is themed after another Spike Lee's “Do The Right Thing.”
There will be more colors of the Air Jordan Spizikes released than of the recent Air Jordan 3 retro re-release. The Air Jordan Spizikes take pieces from the following Air Jordans:
Spike Lee produced or appeared in commercials reciprocating to each model represented on the Air Jordan Spizikes.
The first Jordan Sixty Plus was released in August 2009. The Jordan 6ixty Plus (60+) is a hybrid sneaker from Jordan Brand that combines the various sneakers Michael Jordan wore when he scored 60 or more points in an NBA Game. In these games, MJ was wearing the Jordan I, II, V and VII. Heavy inspiration came from the Air Jordan 5 because he was wearing those when he scored his career high of 69 points.
This package consisted of two different variations of Retro Air Jordan, in which each number equaled 23.
The first Countdown package consisted of retroed Air Jordan XIII model in white/black-true red. The package also included a pair of the shadow grey Air Jordan X model with 23 stitched on the side of the shoes. The package cost $310.00 and was released January 19, 2008.
The second Countdown package consisted of the Air Jordan Retro XIV model in Black/Varsity Red which was similar to the Air Jordan "Last Shot" XIV model though it consisted of a white stitching on the sides, a different color outer arch, and a different colored Jumpman logo on the side. The other Air Jordan was the Air Jordan Retro IX model in a White/Black/True Red colorway. The package retailed for $310.00 and was released March 15, 2008.
The third Countdown package consisted of the Air Jordan Retro II model in White/Varsity Red. The other Air Jordan in this package was the Air Jordan Retro XXI model in Black/Varsity Red. The package retailed $310.00 and was released April 26, 2008.
The fourth Countdown package consisted of the Air Jordan Retro VI model in White/Carmine. The other Air Jordan in this package would be Air Jordan Retro XVII model in Black/Metallic Silver. The package cost $310.00 and was released May 24, 2008.
The final Countdown package consisted of the Air Jordan Retro XI model in Varsity Red/Black. The other Air Jordan in this package was the Air Jordan Retro XII model in Black/White. The package retailed for $310.00.
This line of sneakers consist of a fusion of several Air Jordan and Air Force One Models.
A fusion between the Air Jordan XII model and the Midtop Air Force One model.
This package is the only original colorway of the Air Jordan V model that was not released in the last round of retros. Like the Air Jordan V model, the outsole is a nasa1 mix of black and clear rubber, however there is no visible air sole unit in these shoes. Has a rubber loop in the back, middle upright cotton jumpman, rubber tongue, and the lace lock first was brought in a infrared colorway. It is said Michael Jordan wears these shoes in his practice games.
A fusion between the Air Jordan XX and the Air Force One model. These feature the same laser upper as the original XX but replace the ankle strap and sole with that of the Air Force One. Has the numbers 1 through 6 on the heel to represent Michael's 6 championships.
A fusion between the Air Jordan VI and the Air Force One model of the original style of 1990's. Released in 2009
A fusion between the Air Jordan IV and the Air Force One model.
A fusion between the Air Jordan IX and the Air Force One model.
The Jordan 6 Rings (also written as Air Jordan 6ix Rings) is a combination of the seven Air Jordan shoes that Michael Jordan wore during his 6 Championship seasons. That includes the AJ 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 14. The Jordan Brand company released the "6 Rings" shoes starting in September 2008.
The Jordan Brand released colorways representative of each team that the Chicago Bulls defeated in each of their six championship seasons during the 1990s. The colorways include colors borrowed from the following teams: the L.A. Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, the former Seattle SuperSonics, and Utah Jazz, each shoe of which includes laser-etched graphics detailing specific aspects about that particular championship series, the city of the competing team and so forth. Many other colorways exist and Jordan Brand continues to release additional colors that pay tribute to different Jordan and Nike shoes along with new colorways specific to 6 Rings shoes.
There even exists "winterized 6 rings" which are a modified 6 Rings shoe turned into a durable boot designed for the outdoors which changes some of the design and placement of the inspired pieces and parts from the Air Jordans the shoe pays tribute.
Of particular note, there is an Olympic colorway, a Nelly version apparently inspired by the rap artist Nelly and a shoe that combines the colors of all the teams that the Bulls defeated in the NBA Finals, acting as the 'sixth shoe' since only five separate teams were defeated for the Bulls to win six championships; the Utah Jazz was defeated twice in both 1997 & 1998.
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Source: Team Jordan - Nike.com
