Jordan 1: A History
First seen in 1985, the Jordan 1 was originally purposed as a highly functional basketball shoe. Widely recognised as the sneaker that started it all, the Air Jordan 1 set the precedent for all sport-lifestyle shoes to follow. Released after Michael Jordan was drafted to the Bulls, the basketballer signed an exclusive deal with Nike that year. Today, it’s hard to imagine Jordan sporting anything other than Nike, but he didn’t always want to wear the now iconic Swoosh. Initially, Jordan had his eye on adidas or Converse, but Nike made him an offer he couldn’t refuse — his own shoe line.
Following this, MJ was heavily involved in the shoe’s creation. Alongside Peter Moore, the two worked together to design an innovative sneaker that was “different” and “exciting”. The Jordan 1 borrowed components from previous iterations including the Air Force 1, Nike Dunk, Air Ship, and Nike Vandal, and boasted many of the brand’s signature basketball features, such as compressed air cushioning and overlays on the toe box. The one feature that was completely exclusive to the Air Jordan 1 was the legendary Wings logo.
The first ever line of Jordan colourways is almost as iconic as the sneaker itself. After initially causing a stir with the notorious “Banned” Jordan 1 (a black and red sneaker that cost Nike and Michael Jordan $5000 every time MJ wore them during a game), Moore and MJ reworked the shoe to follow the NBA’s strict guidelines. Now known as the “Chicago” colourway, it set the tone for more legendary colour schemes to follow. At least 23 different OG Air Jordan 1 models and colourways were released, including low Jordans, Air Jordan 1 high-tops and Jordan 1 mid sneakers, to name a few.
Fast forward a decade and Jordan 1s were the most-wanted shoes of the moment. Lauded by skateboarders, musicians and sports personalities alike, the sneaker’s retro appeal gained its popularity off the court as well as on. Its sleek build, snug fit, and subtly flashy design allowed for it to be an extremely versatile shoe for everyone, no matter the event or occasion.
Nowadays, the Jordan 1 has been reimagined through fresh designs and covetable collabs. Joining forces with Virgil Abloh’s Off-White in 2017, the duo released a series of ten deconstructed shoes from the Beaverton brand’s extensive portfolio, dubbed “The Ten”. Billed as one of Nike’s fastest and most ambitious collaborations, each sneaker was individually broken down by Abloh and then rebuilt with a fresh concept and rearranged components. Another world-class collaboration came in 2018 when Nike collaborated with Travis Scott on the Air Jordan 1 ‘Backwards Swoosh Mocha. Dressed in premium fabrics with earth-toned hues, this sought-after sneaker sports a flipped Swoosh and Cactus Jack branding on the tongue. An instant hit amongst sneakerheads and music fans, this iteration offers a modern take on the classic basketball shoe.
A pioneering kick that defined the industry, the AJ1 kickstarted a collective range of legendary Jordans. From the streetwear-approved Air Jordan 4 to the shark tooth-inspired Air Jordan 5, the Air Jordan 1 was the first of many trailblazing sneakers from the Jordan brand. The question is: which will you choose for your collection?
