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.
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Air Jordan
Detailed Look At The Union LA x Air Jordan 2 “Rattan”
Just weeks away from celebrating its 36th anniversary, the Air Jordan 2 has re-entered the mainstream sneaker consciousness like never before thanks to the late-Virgil...
First Look At The UNION LA x Air Jordan 2 “Rattan”
First teased in late October, UNION Los Angeles‘ impending Air Jordan 2 collaboration has recently appeared in both official and unofficial images. The former has...
Official Images Of The UNION LA x Air Jordan 2 “Grey Fog”
First teased via mock-up in late October, UNION LA‘s Air Jordan 2 “Grey Fog” collaboration has recently emerged via official images. Occasionally, early depictions of...
UNION LA To Release Two Collaborative Air Jordan 2s This Spring
Thanks to a little push from Virgil Abloh, the Air Jordan 2 is poised to make a big return. Come next year, we’ll not only...
Official Images Of The Union x Air Jordan 4 “Taupe Haze”
It’s only been a week since Union released their “Tent & Trail” collection with Jordan Brand, offering the “Taupe Haze” iteration of the Air Jordan...
How To Buy The Union x Air Jordan 4 “Desert Moss” And “Taupe Haze”
Inspired by the late 80s and early 90s, the upcoming Union x Air Jordan capsule — entitled “Tent & Trail” — spiritually draws from the...
First-Look At The Union x Air Jordan 4 “Taupe Haze”
In early March, the Chris Gibbs-led Union Los Angeles confirmed that it’d follow up 2020’s divisive Air Jordan 4 duo with more collaborations with NIKE,...
Union Confirms Jordan And Nike Collaborations For 30th Anniversary
Today, Union sits at the very same spot it did in ’91, the boutique now celebrating a momentous 30th Anniversary. And to appropriately commemorate such...