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

The Air Jordan 5 Satin Features “Greatness” And “Recognize” Messages

After being used for a luxe take on the “Shattered Backboard” Jordan 1s in May, Jordan Brand is turning to satin again for another one...

By Sneaker News July 11, 2018
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Jordan Brand Spring 2018 Footwear Preview

Last week, Jordan Brand set up shop at Spring Studios in NYC’s Tribeca neighborhood to officially present their upcoming footwear for the Spring season. Air...

By John Kim January 16, 2018
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The Air Jordan 13 “Altitude” Returns This Week

An argument can be made for the Air Jordan 13 “Altitude” being one of the greatest non-OG colorways in the illustrious history of the Jordan...

By Ben Felderstein December 18, 2017
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Jordan Brand Closes Out Year Of $400 Air Jordan 5s With “Bordeaux”

Jordan Brand is finishing up its string of Air Jordan 5 Premium releases with the release of the “Bordeaux” colorway. The Jordan 5 Premium “Bordeaux”...

By Nick Del Bene December 10, 2017
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Sneakers Releasing Thanksgiving Week 2017

The Holiday times tend to be filled with copious amounts of sneaker releases that range from highly limited exclusives to GR models in intriguing colorways....

By Ben Felderstein November 20, 2017
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The Oregon Ducks Flaunt An Air Jordan 13 PE

It appears that the Oregon Ducks will be getting yet another exclusive Air Jordan PE this season. Oregon’s football equipment manager, Kenny Farr, gave a...

By Nick Del Bene November 20, 2017
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Official Images Of The Air Jordan 5 Premium “Bordeaux”

Jordan Brand is continuing its Air Jordan 5 Premium series with the release of the “Bordeaux” colorway scheduled to arrive at retailers next month. The...

By Ben Felderstein November 17, 2017
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Official Images Of The Air Jordan 13 “Altitude”

Jordan Brand is bringing back the original leather construction of the Air Jordan 13 “Altitude” from 2005 after releasing a mesh version in 2010. The...

By Ben Felderstein November 15, 2017
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The Air Jordan 13 “Wheat” Releases In One Week

The Jordan Brand holiday lineup is always a stacked one, and this year’s batch gets started off with a bang with the upcoming release of...

By Nick Del Bene November 14, 2017
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