It’s time to put some respect on the Jordan 1 Mid.
For many years now the Jordan 1 has been one of the most popular sneakers in the world. Whether you are a sneakerhead chasing grails like the Off-White Jordan 1’s, or just a Bulls fan trying to grab some Chicago’s due to your love for MJ. Everybody wants to rock a pair. Once the low’s came along they were loved too, with some great colourways hitting shelves and instantly selling out. The Jordan 1 low ‘Paris’ and Eric Koston’ UNC’ can fetch anywhere between £200-£300 in the resale marketplace.
But for whatever the reason the Jordan 1 mid was more likely to catch flack rather than praise. But why? For whatever reason, over the years, the Mid didn’t create the same hype as the high’s or low’s. That was until this year which has seen the mids popularity soar due to some seriously admirable colourways. That and the fact you don’t have to pay £600 resale to cop a pair has finally helped the mid find its place within the sneaker industry.
We take a look at the fall and rise of the Jordan 1 mid and how it became a staple for collectors everywhere.
Where did it all start?
The Jordan 1 was created as Michael Jordan’s signature sneaker back in 1984, designed for Nike by Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore. The shoe borrowed design aspects from various Nike sneakers such as the Air Force 1, Nike Dunk, Nike Vandal and the famous banned silhouette the Air Ship.
In 1985 we saw the release of possibly the most popular sneaker in the game, the Air Jordan 1 high. Thirty-five years later and this silhouette is still as important to the culture as it has ever been.
Just one year later in 1986, the Air Jordan 1 low would release, not quite as popular as the high but still a favourite amongst collectors.
But for whatever reason, we did not see the Jordan 1 mid created until 2001, some fifteen years after the original releases. Is it because the silhouette wasn’t released when MJ was at the height of his fame that the mid hadn’t gained the same cult following?
The missing throwback feeling or vintage vibe we crave may be a factor to why the mids were not looked at in the same light as the Highs and Lows. Perhaps the mids were lost amongst the hype of the high retros releasing at the same time.
The Jordan 1 Mid: A timeline
Jordan brand showed no sign of abandoning the new design honouring MJ, releasing a further two colourways of the sneaker in 2002 and 2003.
The 2003 version was surely going to be the silhouette to take the sneaker to the dizzying heights of the highs, dressed in the famous ‘Bulls’ colourway. But up until this year, you could still grab the sneaker on resale sites for around £200. The 2020 boom has hit all mids, however, and this shoe now sells for about £500.
We saw some lacklustre mids release in the years to come under the ‘Phat mid’ and ‘Alpha’ banners. For whatever reason, despite being unable to miss with their high releases, Jordan brand could not garner the same interest from sneaker enthusiasts for the mids.
Another last-ditch effort in 2013 saw Jordan don the mid in the famous ‘UNC’ colourway. This sneaker was surely going to catapult the mid into the conversation with Jordan fanatics finally. Unfortunately not. The sneaker was available on the resale market for a little over retail until this year. The silhouette now goes for around £300-£350 in 2020. This price is confirmation that 2020 is the year the mid gets the respect it deserves.
So why now?
I think that part of the reason that the mid is having a massive boost in popularity is down to the great designs Jordan are putting out for the mids. They aren’t just using retro colourways and hoping for the best. The mid is its own silhouette and deserves the respect of designs specifically for the shoe.
The mid also seems to have become a fan favourite amongst female sneakerheads. Sleek designs and colourways only coming in smaller sizes may be the reason that women are leaning towards mids. Many incredible women sneakerheads are using social media currently to showcase just how good you can make a mid look; this is most definitely impacting the popularity of the shoe right now.
Availability is also a huge factor, with highs selling out in seconds and demanding huge resale fees. Mids are beginning to sell out when released but are still very obtainable even on the resale marketplace.
Our five favourite mid releases
We take a look at our favourite mids available today. These colourways can most definitely compete with any highs and lows you have wanted over the years.
Air Jordan 1 Mid Pink Quartz
The first mid I think worth mentioning is the Pink Quartz release from this year. An incredibly simplistic colourway that made me start to take notice of the mids releasing. The shoe comes dressed in a mostly pink colourway with white panelling and a black swoosh; this sneaker is extremely clean. The black wings logo features on the ankle to solidify its look as a Jordan sneaker.
Want to cop the Jordan 1 Mid Pink Quartz? Click here to shop
Air Jordan 1 Mid ‘Light Smoke Grey’
If like many of us, as soon as the Air Dior Jordan 1 leaked you instantly wanted a pair. However, as soon as you saw how limited they were, you knew it would be almost impossible.
The Air Jordan 1 Mid in light smoke grey is the perfect, affordable replacement for the Air Dior you missed. The shoe’s colourway is as elegant as it could get, mirroring the Air Dior design perfectly. The sneaker comes with grey and white panelling, black wings logo and swooshes to finish off the look. A timeless colourway and a must cop for anybody who missed the Diors.
Want to cop the Jordan 1 Mids in light smoke grey?
For small sizes click here
For bigger sizes click here
Air Jordan 1 Mid Milan
The Jordan 1 Mid Milan come as part of a pack honouring two of Europes greatest fashion cities. The low version named ‘Paris’, while the mid is called ‘Milan’.
The colourway of the ‘Milan’ draws inspiration from the cities fantastic architecture and attention to detail. A mixture of premium materials used to emphasise its connection to its Italian inspiration. An array of warm tones throughout give you the instant feel of Milan when looking at the sneaker.
Fancy a trip to Milan? Grab a pair of the Air Jordan 1 Mid Milan’s by clicking here
Air Jordan 1 Mid SE Union Black Toe
This sneaker is reminiscent of the high profile collaboration between Jordan and LA boutique Union that released back in 2018. The collaboration has seen resale value skyrocket over the years, so this mid is the perfect replacement.
The shoe comes crafted from a range of materials. Premium leather and suede are giving the sneaker that luxury feel. It comes dressed in a black, white and red combination which is what provides the silhouette with the feel of the Jordan x Union collab.
Fancy a pair of the Union Black Toe mids? Click here to find your size.
Air Jordan 1 Mid Digital Pink
If you are looking to spice up your collection and add some colour, there isn’t another silhouette that will do it as well as the Digital Pink Mid.
The sneaker comes in a mix of pastel pinks and premium materials, giving the basketball shoe a feminine feel. A must-have for women sneakerheads, the triple pink colourway guarantees to catch everybody’s eye.
Want to add the Digital Pink to the collection? Click here to find your size.
So, is the mid here to stay?
I think now that the Jordan 1 mid has found its stride, there will be no slowing it down. Jordan Brand has tapped into a market they have been unable to previously with the mid. People are excited about them; they are craving more colourways than ever before.
With huge sneaker influencers like Sally Sneakers consistently showing how good mids can look I see no reason why the mids can’t continue to thrive within the industry.
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