Matt Varga The “UNBANNABLE” photo series is the latest step in the Jumpman’s promo for the upcoming Jordan 1 “Bred,” an in-depth showcase of their current brand talent. Alongside Travis Scott rocking the Air Jordan 1 “Black Toe Reimagined,” Nigel Sylvester is making headlines for dipping into his personal archives for an unreleased Air Jordan 1 collab.
While his Jordan 4 RM “Bike Air” and upcoming Jordan 4 “Brick By Brick” are likely more synonymous with Sylvester’s name in 2025, of course his Jumpman legacy began with the Air Jordan 1. Rather than pulling out that patinated 2018 pair, he reached for a stealthier PE, gifted to the BMX superstar for the release of his “GO” photography book in 2022. Though many of that shoe’s calling cards (distressed Swoosh, identical underfoot section, forefoot mini Swoosh) remain in place, the shift in primary colors nonetheless makes these an extremely attention-grabbing piece in the Nigel Sylvester catalog.
Swapping to Beaverton’s end, featuring their current brand icons in this way obviously is a way to leverage the brand’s star power, but more abstractly it ties into the “legacy” aspect running through the promo to date. Not only focusing on the “Banned” origin story, Jordan Brand has sought to forefront the ripple effects that followed from that seminal moment, and in Beaverton’s telling, individuals like Travis Scott and Nigel Sylvester becoming dominant figures in footwear wouldn’t have happened if not for that infamous NBA censure.
Check out detailed shots of this unreleased Nigel Sylvester Air Jordan 1 above. While these certainly won’t be hitting retail, keep an eye on our Jordan Release Dates page for further updates on his aforementioned Air Jordan 4. The “Banned” Jordan 1 remains on track for its official release date of February 14th.
