Air Jordan

Air Jordan is a yearly set of sneakers released by Brand Jordan, a NIKE, Inc. subsidiary. Created for six-time NBA Champion Michael Jordan in 1984, the Air Jordan line debuted at retail in 1985 with the Jordan 1. Currently releasing the Jordan 38 with eyes towards the successor Jordan 39, the sub-label is the most popular athlete-specific sneaker line ever created. Designers have included Peter Moore, Bruce Kilgore, Wilson Smith III, Tate Kuerbis, and Tinker Hatfield, who’s credited for 21 of 38 models.

While rooted in performance basketball, Jordans – in particular models between the Jordan 1 and Jordan 14 – have enjoyed widespread adoption in the lifestyle and casual wear spaces. Brand Jordan reissued the set’s first sneaker in 1994 during Jordan’s first retirement from the NBA. Subsequent years have seen hundreds of old and new retros, be they individual releases or as larger collections or sets (i.e. “Defining Moments Pack,” “Countdown Pack,” “Bin 23”). Retros of the Jordan 3, Jordan 4, Jordan 5, and Jordan 6 typically stir controversy depending on whether they feature “NIKE”/”NIKE AIR” branding like their “OG” counterparts or modernized “JORDAN” and Jumpman logos. Nevertheless, the retro line is alive and well all the same, having helped its parent company achieve its first $1 billion revenue quarter in the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year. (The brand’s best-selling release of all-time was 2019’s Jordan 11 “Bred”.)

Outside of general release pairs, Air Jordan collabs remain a major, major driver of hype in the footwear space year in and year out. Beginning with the UNDEFEATED Jordan 4, enlisting outside creatives has resulted in some of the most sought-after sneakers in the history of the hobby. Since that 2006 pair, Jordan Brand’s roster has swelled tremendously to include the likes of  Supreme, OFF-WHITE, Travis Scott, UNION LA, and J BALVIN. Furthermore, athletes the likes of Ray Allen, Mike Bibby, Carmelo Anthony, and Russell Westbrook have received special Friends & Family and Player Exclusive (PE) pairs, which have only contributed to Air Jordan’s legend.

Air Jordan

Union LA And BBS Remember The Summer Of ’96 With Upcoming Air Jordan 1 Collab

UPDATE: August 7th, 2023 Union LA and Bephie Beauty Supply have released official lookbook images of the collection ahead of the August 24th release. UPDATE:...

By Michael Le August 3, 2023
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Union LA’s Upcoming Air Jordan 1 Collaboration Includes Footscape Woven Elements

In late March, it was reported that Union LA would have another Air Jordan 1 collaboration in the works, with August being the intended month...

By Sneaker News April 11, 2023
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Union x Air Jordan 1 Rumored For August 2023 Release

Over the course of the last few years, Union LA has delivered several compelling collaborative works with Jordan Brand. Very few, however, have been able...

By Michael Le March 29, 2023
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Official Images Of The Union Los Angeles x Air Jordan 1 KO Low “Leather”

Since late October, Union LA’s latest collaborative effort with Jordan Brand has been teased in yesteryear’s widely-attributed Air Jordan 1 KO construction. And while the...

By Jared Ebanks January 21, 2023
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Official Images Of The Union LA x Air Jordan 1 KO Low

Union LA‘s collaborative offerings are rarely well-received upon first glance. This was true of their Air Jordan 4 as well as their Air Jordan 2,...

By Michael Le January 10, 2023
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Union Los Angeles x Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Coming In 2023

As one of the most respected purveyors of exclusive products, Union has served as one of Jordan Brand’s most elusive and effective collaborative partners, beefing...

By Jared Ebanks January 9, 2023
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First Look At The Union LA x Air Jordan 1 KO Low

Back in 2018, Union LA produced what many consider to be one of the best collaborative Air Jordan 1s. Fast forward five years later and...

By Michael Le December 19, 2022
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A Union Los Angeles x Air Jordan 1 KO Low Is Expected By Early 2023

Union Los Angeles has become a go-to partner for Team Jumpman over the last handful of years. Ahead of the year’s holiday season, the Chris...

By Jovani Hernandez October 28, 2022
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Shelflife x Air Jordan 2 Low Set To Release On October 21st

As South Africa’s leading sneaker storefront, Shelflife holds a special responsibility as both an educator and storyteller influencing the country’s long-established streetwear culture. In step...

By Jared Ebanks October 14, 2022
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