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

Official Images Of The Air Jordan 7 “Olympic Alternate”

The “Alternate” concept that we first saw on the Air Jordan 4 is back again, this time in Olympic form. For another “what if?” colorway,...

By Zack Schlemmer July 29, 2016
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Five Details You Might’ve Missed About The Air Jordan 31

The next Air Jordan model, the Air Jordan 31, was unveiled last week at a special Air Jordan 31 event at the Brooklyn Bowl in...

By Sneaker News July 28, 2016
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Tinker Hatfield’s Alternate Design For The Air Jordan 7 “Olympic” Releases Soon

It’s been almost 25 years since NBA players first stepped foot into international competition with the legendary USA Dream Team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics....

By Patrick Johnson July 28, 2016
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Jordan Brand Retooled The Air Jordan 1 With Ankle Collars

The Air Jordan 1 has been a trendsetter since ’85. Now, the roles are reversed and this iconic silhouette is the one adapting current trends....

By Sneaker News July 27, 2016
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The Air Jordan 5 OG Remastered Releases Tomorrow

Update July 25th, 2016: Foot Locker has restocked this Jordan 5 online. The wait is finally over. Tomorrow, July 23rd, Jordan Brand is bringing back...

By Patrick Johnson July 22, 2016
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A New Quilted Air Jordan 1 KO Releases Later This Month

The Air Jordan 1 KO receives an all-new construction this fall for one of the first variations from its standard all canvas construction ever released....

By Zack Schlemmer July 22, 2016
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Air Jordan 31 Unveiled

Last update: 7/25/2016 The next chapter of the Air Jordan line is now here. Tonight at a special event in Las Vegas, Jordan Brand officially...

By Zack Schlemmer July 20, 2016
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Official Images of the Air Jordan 1 High “Banned”

Along with the official unveil of the Air Jordan 31 tonight, Jordan Brand also dropped the official photos of the Air Jordan 1 in its...

By Zack Schlemmer July 20, 2016
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Is The Air Jordan 5 OG The Best Remastered Release Of The Year?

Jordan Brand’s Remastering process continues with the release of the latest ‘Nike Air’ wielding Air Jordan 5 retro. The legendary Jordan 5 Black Metallic is...

By Patrick Johnson July 18, 2016
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