Apparently Jordan Brand is moving into their second phase of newspeak-style brainwashing.  First, they re-wrote the rules on hybrid design with the Air Jordan Force Fusion series and now they’re actually remaking the meanings of words!  When they launched back in May, Project Bluefoot’s initial goal was to have the public “design the Air Jordan XXV.” 

The July 25th deadline came and went, and since then, we’ve seen the finished Air Jordan XXV (25).  Turns out, it looks very little like Tom Matic’s winning images, so while this was a competition, it wasn’t to design the AJ25, but rather, a nifty prototype that we would probably buy if it ever came out. 

While both carry the Jumpman insignia and are quite sleek, Matic’s design separates the front and rear sole, features an essentially blank side panel and a unique hook instead of the top eyelet.  One of the coolest things about his version is how Boreas and Notus, the Greek gods of North and South winds, respectively, inspired the sweeping lines, following in the AJ line’s tradition of wind/air(craft) design cues.  Take a look at his 8.5 rated submission, along with the rest of the top 10 after the jump.

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At the Nike Knows Training – 2009 Summit earlier this year, Nike gave the attendees a sneak peek at several upcoming special projects from the Nike Training group. One of those little surprises is the above Nike Trainer 1 with a Max-360 sole which adds to the responsiveness of the Trainer 1 for heavy training regiments. With the upcoming fight against Miguel Ángel Cotto of Puerto Rico, Pacquiao is doing some heavy duty training right now and was recently seen in a pair of the Nike Trainer 1/360. Take a look below for the full image.

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That name’s hot . . .  I might change my name: LeBron Rio-Ferdinand James

From his ‘The LeBrons’ commercial series to the way he cracks teammates up with their pre-game ‘photography’ routine and hostin gthe ESPYs, we already knew LeBron James was a funny guy.  In this interview series with Rio Ferdinand of #5 Magazine, King James puts a humourous slant on a few of his favourite things: the new Nike Air Max LeBron VII (7) (shown in the film in what we can assume from Ferdinand’s accent is the London edition of the City Pack), his all-time starting 5 and even his boy Jay-Z.  Enjoy the video posted above and check two more after the jump.  via SF//#5 Magazine

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It’s about that time again when we see existing Air Jordans get the Motorsports treatement, to honor MJ’s more recently developed love for racing.  In this case, the design is to honor the 6th year anniversary of MJ’s own race team.  A simple design inspired by the current look of rider, Aaron Yate’s, Suzuki race bike, the upper is a simple white with a black midsole.  Wondering where the cement print is?  Take a look on the inside lining, while the tongues alternate typical Jordan branding.  If you’re going gaga over these, continue to do so- because there will not be seeing the light of day on local store shelves.  Limited quantities will only be available to riders and crew of the Jordan Motorsports team.  via Sole.

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2006 NBA Finals MVP Dwyane Wade isn’t like the rest of us.  He already accumulated one of the biggest Air Jordan collections we’ve seen and unless he wants to banter with Charles Barkley, he’ll never have a job interview.  Jordan Brand selected Wade as their latest athlete based on his on-court resume to be sure, and that’s why this web feature that explores an alternate side of the selection process is so interesting.  You’ve literally walked in Wade’s shoes, now watch him figuratively walk in a regular joe’s . . . well, sorta.

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It was no joke when the Air Jordan VI (6) popped up on April 1 in a Jordan Motorsports sample colourway for two and a half grand.  We had seen them before, alongside an insane elephant printed sportbike, but expected nothing more from this extremely limited style.  Turns out that there are Air Jordan Six Rings in the same white/black design, none of which you can have.  You can try checking the ‘bay every then and again, but for now check the photos after the jump.  via TSG

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Nike worked with reknowned apparel design agency, ACRONYM® on two pairs of all Black sneakers, one being the Nike Dunk High AC (Autoclave) and the other the Nike Blazer. Both shoes are supposedly extremely limted as they were promo pairs that were given to Errolson Hugh, co-founder of ACRONYM®. The Dunk High AC features an ACRONYM® graphic on the tongue of the shoe while the Blazer uses the graphic on the heel. via SLAMXHYPE

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Nike is by far the largest footwear and athletic company in the world, but they still realize the value of their local distributor.  Their skateboarding division has opened a new microsite titled ‘Nike SB: Support Your Local’ that currently showcases Enfield, CT’s Skate Lair alongside Chicago’s Uprise.  Both have extensive photo capsules from Todd Jordan, who seeks to show “some of the faces that have been there . . . back when it was still considered derelict.”  Check out more photos after the jump, including plenty from the Nike SB Fall/Holiday ‘09 apparel collection.

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