Air Jordan(s) Brand introduced...
Air Jordan(s), also known simply as Jordans, are a brand of shoes and athletic apparel produced by Nike originally designed for and endorsed by former professional NBA basketball player Michael Jordan. The Air Jordan line is now sold by the Jordan Brand subsidiary of Nike. Since its first release in 1985, there have been new designs of the shoe released each year, even after Michael Jordan retired from the NBA.
Collectors classify the Air Jordan line by release year and model: Originals (OG), Retros (shoes that have been recreated for sale to the general public), Retro-pluses (Retro +, Air Jordans that are similar to the Original product, with more up-to-date changes), Player Exclusive (PE, Air Jordans that are exclusive to certain athletes in the realm of sports) and Samples. The Jordan Brand also produces a line of Team shoes, separate from the signature line of Air.
Air Jordan I
Designed by Peter Moore, Nike released the sneakers in 1985, the Air Jordan I pair of sneakers was considered a breakthrough in basketball shoe design,although its design was improved upon later with the Nike Dunk. The shoes are similar to the Air Force 1 highs but without the strap and Jordan logo. The shoe initially gained a great deal of publicity and interest because its vibrant black and red color violated the league's uniform rules and because Michael was fined five thousand dollars every time he wore the shoes during a game. Nonetheless, other companies scrambled to emulate the design and introducing knock-off brands of the Air Jordan line. In 1994 the Air Jordan 1 was re-released. The Air Jordan 1 has been the most reproduced retro with over 90 colorways.
Jordan was wearing the Air Jordan I when he scored a league playoff-high 63 points against the Boston Celtics in the 1986 NBA Playoffs.
Air Jordan II
The Air Jordan II was released in 1986/87. The Air Jordan II was designed by Bruce Kilgore, and like the I's, showed great innovation in design. The low-tops were produced in Italy, although no II's were ever designed with black leather until the Nu'Retro release in 2003 and the Black/Chrome Retro+ release in 2004. The Jordan II's were the last Air Jordan shoes to carry the Jordan Wings insignia. The II's were retroed in 1994 in small amounts and sold very poorly, finding themselves on discount racks at Footlocker or other shoe stores around the country.
Air Jordan III
The Air Jordan III was designed by Tinker Hatfield. It was the first Air Jordan to feature a visible air unit on the heel, the new Jumpman logo, an elephant print trim, and tumble leather for a luxury look. The Air Jordan III were also famous for the humorous ads depicting Spike Lee as Mars Blackmon—the character he played in his film 'She's Gotta Have It'. This campaign was known as "Mars and Mike" ad campaign, which still holds the title today as one of Nike's most successful advertisement campaigns. These were the first Jordans to feature the "NIKE AIR" logo on the back, but later replaced by the Jumpman logo, with the words "AIR" underneath it, similar to the Air Jordan VI. These were said to be Michael Jordan's favorite shoes, he wore them during the 1988 Dunk Championship (which he won) and many other historical events in his basketball career. The Air Jordan 3 also is one of the most famous shoes in the Air Jordan lineup. On many polls, the Air Jordan 3 finishes as the greatest sneaker of all time.
The Air Jordan III's had poor sales when first retro'ed in 1994. However when they were re-retro'ed they sold out instantly. A pair of the Air Jordan III model can be sold for over 300 dollars on various sites, one in particular being eBay. The long awaited "Fire Red" Air Jordan III was released in March 2007.
In 2007, Jordan brand collaborated with director Spike Lee to release a limited pair of Air Jordan III's in a special colorway to resemble the Do The Right Thing movie poster.
2007 also saw the retroed versions of the Air Jordan III's in two monotone colorways, all black and all white, nicknamed the "Black Cats" and the "Pure Moneys" respectively.
2007 also had the "Flips" which moved the elephant print from the trim to the entire shoe and replacing it with white leather, indeed "Flipping" the original design of white leather with elephant print trim.
In 2009 Jordan Brand re-retroed the highly sought after Air Jordan 3 in the True Blue colorway. It was an international-only release, meaning the USA did not sell them in stores. The Air Jordan 3 True Blue along with the Cement color ways will re-retro in the US in 2011.
In 2011, Jordan brand released a Black History Month (BHM) Jordan 3 colorway in commemoration of the 35th anniversary of Black History Month. The sneaker is black with gold trim and stitching as well as laser print around the toe and heel. The BHM 3 was a very limited quickstrike release and there was said to have been no more than 3,000 pairs made.
Air Jordan IV
The Air Jordan IV shoe was first released in 1989, designed once again by Tinker Hatfield. It became the first Jordan shoe released on the global market, with some exceptions. The Air Jordan IV cushioning sole and design helped to make the shoe an international bestseller.
Spike Lee, the director/actor who helped in the ad campaign for the Air Jordan III, created the Can/Can't TV commercial. Lee also featured the Air Jordan IV in his movie Do The Right Thing in a scene where the character "Buggin Out" (played by Giancarlo Esposito) angrily confronts a bicyclist who accidentally bumps into him and scuffs his Air Jordan IV shoes. After the confrontation, Buggin Out promptly places his shoe on a fire hydrant and cleans the shoe along with making some other subtle changes. One example being "NIKE AIR" logo featured on the back of the shoe being replaced with the Jumpman logo.
In 2006, Nike released several variations of the Air Jordan IV, including "Mars Blackmons" ("Red" IV's with Spike Lee's alter ego on the heel),[3] "Military Blues",and the $500 "Thunder and Lightning" package. Also released the Mist blue color and all white and all black.
These particular variations of the shoe also takes part in the inspiration of the Air Jordan Spiz'ike (the shoe's side-lace strap).
The Air Jordan Retro 4 in its widely sought out White/Cement color way is rumored to be a 2012 retro release.
The Air Jordan IV were on Jordan's feet when he made "The Shot" in Game 5 of the 1989 NBA First Round between the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Air Jordan V
The original Air Jordan V was released in February 1990, again designed by Hatfield. Some elements were the same from the Air Jordan IV, but the Air Jordan V's most distinctive feature is arguably its reflective tongue. There was also another innovation: clear rubber soles. The soles gave the shoe a whole new and unique look, but it yellowed over time when exposed to moisture. To combat this problem, collectors stored the shoes in a cool, dry place with a desiccant at the soles, most commonly silica.
The Air Jordan V also featured a base top with lace locks, making strapping on the shoe easy. The lacelock feature partly inspired the Air Jordan Spiz'ike. The Air Jordan V model is considered to have the best structure and design to wear during basketball games and sold the most pairs of shoes from the Air Jordan line.
Hatfield is believed to have drawn inspiration for the Air Jordan V from the World War II P-40 Warhawk fighter plane; which is most notably visible in the shark teeth shapes on the midsole. The Air Jordan V was retroed in 2000 to great demand, including a new colorway featuring Michael Jordan's high school (Laney High) colors. In 2006 several re-retro V's had released including the very popular LS "Grape" V's, the LS "burgundy" V's, the popular "Fire-Red" V's, the "Green Bean" V's, and "Stealth Blue" V's. Along with the latter, a very limited laser design and the black/metallic/fire red colorways were released in early 2007.
In the month of May 2009, Air Jordan confirmed the release of an "DMP II" consisting of two Air Jordan V's. In March, there has been recent picture leaks of this product, which is also referred as "The Raging Bull" Package. The most of the leaked pictures are of the first Jordan V color way which consist of a composition of buttery varsity red suede on the upper. Paired alongside the eye-catching color is black on the midsole, lace area, tongue and a crystal-clean sole and the classic 3M material tongue.The second color way features a 3M material base with black laces and midsole. The retail price was $310. In Q3 of 2011, it is confirmed that Jordan Brand will not be releasing a new Jordan 5 Retro Package consisting of the "Laney" and "Grape" colorways.
Air Jordan VI
The Air Jordan VI was released in late 1990 and designed by Tinker Hatfield. Jordan won his first NBA Championship wearing these sneakers. The heel tab of the shoe took inspiration from Michael Jordan's slant-nosed Porsche.
In 2000 an Olympic colorway was released with a mixture of white, royal blue, and a hint of red (lacelocks) to symbolize the U.S.A. colors. This shoe featured a #9 on the shoe(Jordan's olympic number).
In 2008 a second Olympic colorway was released that consisted of an all-white patent leather upper, black tongue, and all of the Olympic rings' colors on the midsole. On the toebox of the shoe is an embroidered Chinese flower as a symbol of the 2008 Summer Olympics.
To celebrate the defining moment of Jordan’s first championship Nike released a commemorative Black/Gold Air Jordan 6 packaged with a White/Black/Gold Jordan 11 sold as the “Defining Moments Package”. It was released on January 28, 2006 and sold for $295.00.
The entire tongue, and part of the lace locks of the Jordan VI were inspiration for the Air Jordan Spiz'ike. The lace locks and back tab of the Jordan VI were also inspiration for the Air Jordan "Six Rings".
Sakuragi Hanamichi wears Air Jordan VI's in Slam Dunk. They previously belonged to the owner of a shoe store (who happened to collect Air Jordans) that he visited and nearly trashed in his excitement. Hanamichi offered the shopkeeper the ridiculous price of ¥30 (about 30 cents USD) for his shoes, which the man accepted, presumably to get Hanamichi out of the store before he caused any more damage.
In 2010, the Air Jordan VI's were retroed, coming out with a Infrared Pack and several new color ways, there were colorways similar to the Infrared known as the Varsity Red. The popular 'Olympic' color way will see a retro release in 2011.
Air Jordan VII
The Air Jordan VII was released in 1991. Tinker Hatfield created the Air Jordan VII which had many similarities with the Air Jordan VI model. The Air Jordan VII was unique because it used some of the Nike Huarache technology to create a shoe that really stuck to the consumer's foot. The visible air sole, the Nike Air logo, and the yellowing soles all were no longer featured on the Air Jordan VII. The Air Jordan VII model is also commonly known as the "Hares" because the commercials promoting the shoe featured cartoon character Bugs Bunny. This was the first Air-Jordan in the line that did not have any distinctive "Nike Air" on the outer portions of the shoe. The "Nike Air" can be found on the in-soles. Nike was unhappy about this, but the designer, Tinker Hatfield, had a greater vision believing that the "jumpman" could stand on its own. A precursor to "Jordan Brand" about 6–7 years down the road.
When Jordan went to compete at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics to play for the US Men's Basketball Team (also known as the "Dream Team"), Nike released a special Olympic color combo of the Air Jordan VII model which featured Jordan's Olympic jersey number, 9 while all of the previous Air Jordan models that featured his jersey number had always been the number 23.
Various retros of the Air Jordan VII were released in 2002, again in 2004, and again with different colors in 2006. Also in 2008 Nike released a black and blue pair owned only by Cheikh Mbacké, ordered for $600.
In 2011 the Air Jordan VII saw releases in the "Orion" and "Bordeaux" colorways. Other colorways are confirmed for a 2011 release as well, such as the "Cardinals" and "Year of the Rabbits".
Air Jordan VIII
The Air Jordan VIII was released to coincide with the 1992-1993 NBA season.
The eighth model of the Air Jordan was noticeably heavier than its predecessors. Its base was clearly close to that of the Air Jordan VII model, but it had a lot more details, including two crossover straps on each shoe and a jumpman logo. Thus the Air Jordan VIII model became known as the "Punisher" due to its advanced basketball ankle support and superior traction. This shoe contains a full length air sole, crossover straps (for added support and more custom fit), circular pattern midsole and contrast stitching for comfort all the zones on your feet.
Air Jordan IX
Originally released in November 1993, the Air Jordan IX model was the first Air Jordan model release after his retirement. It is noted that Michael Jordan has never played a full season of NBA Basketball wearing these sneakers. This model was created in the form of baseball cleats that Jordan used when playing minor-league baseball.
Like the Air Jordan VIIs and VIII model's, the Air Jordan IX model featured an inner sock sleeve and nubuck accents. The sole featured different symbols and languages of different countries.
The Air Jordan IX has been the shoe chosen to adorn Jordan's feet for his statue outside of the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
In popular culture, in the children's movie The Little Rascals one of the bullies, Butch is wearing a pair of Air Jordan IX.
American Rap Icon Tupac Shakur was also known to wear Air Jordans in a popular "Thug Life" photo set in 1993.
Michael Jordan also wore these in the children's movie "Space Jam."
Air Jordan X
The Air Jordan X represents an important landmark in Jordan's basketball career. This represents Jordan's first retirement from the NBA. Inscribed on the soles of the shoes is a list of Jordan's accomplishments up to 1993. The list of accomplishments is as follows (1985–1994):
* 1985 Rookie Of The Year
* 1986 63 Points
* 1987 Scoring Title
* 1988 Dunk Contest Champion
* 1989 All Defensive Team
* 1990 Scored 69 Points
* 1991 Won MVP/Championship
* 1992 Won MVP/Championship
* 1993 Won MVP/Championship
* 1994 Beyond
This shoe was also known as "the comeback sneaker" because while the Air Jordan X was in the production stages, Jordan was seemingly finished with basketball and had taken up the game of baseball. But as baseball went on strike, Jordan was left with nothing to do and decided to return to the game he had dominated for so many years. He returned to the game of basketball on March 19, 1995 wearing the Air Jordan X’s, but unlike many other of his shoes which had the number “23” engraved in them, the X’s had the number “45” on them because Jordan was forced to wear the number 45 because his old number 23 had been retired. Being the 10th anniversary of Air Jordans, different colorways of the 10s were released in different cities. The Shoe was retro'd in the year 2005 in the following colorways: Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro Steel White / Black – Light Steel Grey – Varsity Red Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro White / Obsidian – Ice Blue – Varsity Red Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro Black / White Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro White / Linen – University Blue Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro Women's White / Ice Green – Varsity Red Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro White / Varsity Red – Light Steel Grey Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro Women's White / Medium Violet – Light Graphite Air Jordan 10 (X) Retro Black / Dark Shadow – True Red Countdown Pack
The "Chicago Bulls" color way will release in the Fall of 2011.
Air Jordan XI
The Air Jordan XI model was designed by Tinker Hatfield. While Jordan was still pursuing a career in baseball, Hatfield designed the shoe in hopes that Michael would eventually wear it if he returned to the NBA.
The Jordan XI was meant to stand out with a fusion of performance and style. Taken from the world of high-end mountaineering backpacks, the condura nylon upper gave the Air Jordan XI model lightweight durability. Further innovation came with the use of a carbon fiber plate on the sole of the shoe, that can be seen underneath the clear outsole, which gave the shoe exceptional torsional rigidity. The most visually distinct aspect of the shoe was its shiny patent leather mid and toebox. A material long used in the fashion industry, patent leather was extremely lightweight, when compared to genuine leather, and also tended not to stretch - a very useful property to help keep the foot within the bounds of the shoebed during quick direction changes on the court. The shiny leather gave the XI what many described as a "formal" look - a fact that many owners of the shoe took advantage of thereafter, pairing the shoe off the court with business suits in substitution for dress shoes. Boyz II Men wore black and white Air Jordan XI shoes with white suits at one of their concerts.
The most interesting part of these sneakers is that they were "sampled" during the playoffs of the year of Jordan's first return (1995). Designer Tinker Hatfield and Nike did not want Michael Jordan playing in them, however, when the sample was completed, Jordan saw it, took it, and said he wanted to wear the shoe. Nike and Hatfield hoped that he would not wear it during the playoffs against Orlando, however, when they tuned in for the game, Ahmad Rashad was holding the shoe for the cameras explaining that they were the "newest" Air Jordan. Hatfield and Nike were highly upset as the shoe wasn't even in production, and now they would be forced to produce it for the masses. The decision turned out to be a good one, as it can be considered one of the most valuable and sought after Air Jordans of the line. Also to note, Jordan was in violation of the league dress code by wearing the shoes,as his teammates wore all black sneakers. He was then fined $5,000 for not respecting the Bulls colorway policy. After the fining, Nike made him a pair of the shoes in a black/white/royal blue colorway for the series against Orlando, before they were to release to the public at the end of 2000.
Michael Jordan was now away from the game of basketball, and he began a relatively short lived career in baseball.
Jordan wore the Air Jordan XI model to help the Chicago Bulls claim the 1995-1996 NBA championship. The legacy of the shoe was transferred to the silver screen as Jordan wore the same colorway of the Air Jordan XI model in the 1996 Warner Bros. animated movie "Space Jam". These shoes were eventually released in 2001 and re-retro'd in 2009 with the nickname "Space Jams".
Another version of the XI's were released on December 23, 2010 called the "Cool Grey". It is confirmed that in December 2011, there will be a re-release of the "Concord" colorway of the 11s.
Air Jordan XII
The Air Jordan XII was inspired by "Nisshoki", (the Japanese flag) and a 19th century womans' dress boot. Initial public perception was a disappointment. However, featuring gold-plated steel lace loops, embossed lizard skin pattern and zoom air, this model set a new direction in style and technology in shoe design. Though not as light in weight as previous models, the construction and firmness of the shoe is widely considered to be the most durable and sturdy shoes from the Air Jordan line ever made. This shoe known as "OG's' came in 5 colorways and was released on March 13. The shoe was released on December 25, 2008 with the Eleven as the final countdown pack. In addition, the Twelve was combined with the Thirteen numbered Jordan to produce the 12.5. As of today, the 11/12 countdown package (retro) retails for $400–$550, well above the starting price of $310.
Air Jordan XIII
The Air Jordan XIII's were released in 1997. This model was designed by Tinker Hatfield and was known for its cushioning along with allowing one's feet to breathe while wearing them. The inspiration for the XIII's was based on the Black Panther. Looking at the bottoms, the sole resembles the pads on a panthers paw. Also the sides on the upper are pitted just like a panthers cheeks from its whiskers. The final queue from the panther is the hologram on the back of the shoe which imitates a panther's eyes in the dark when light is shined at them. They were re-released in 2005, which coincided with the release of the Air Jordan XX shoe.Like the Air Jordan XI and XII, there IS a pair of Air Jordan's very similar to another, one consisting of blue and gray, and one blue and white.
These were the shoes worn by Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) in the movie He Got Game.
The Jordan Brand re-released the Air Jordan 13 at the end of 2010 which included the French Blue/Flint Grey , White/Red-Black , 'Playoff' color way and the Black/Altitude Green color way.
Air Jordan XIV
The Air Jordan XIV (14) was released in 1998/1999.
This was the very last Air Jordan model that Michael would sport in NBA before his retirement; the only time he wore this model was during Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, a.k.a. "The Last Shot" game. On January 13, 1999, Michael announced his retirement from the NBA basketball for the second time.
Retired in style, the design was inspired by Michael's car, the Ferrari 550 M, and was made by Tinker Hatfield together with Mark Smith. This was the first Air Jordan that would feature laces with metal tips. Something that both the XV's and XVI's designs also would use.
The XIV's also began the trend of having a number of things that would count towards the model number of the shoe. On the XIV's each shoe had seven Jumpmen, the one on the side of the shoe on a Ferrari-like shield. They could be found on the insole, sole, back, side, 2 x lacetip and front. Counting them on both shoes makes it a total of 14 Jumpmen.
Air Jordan XV
The Air Jordan XV (15) was released in 1999/2000.
This was the first shoe after Michael's retirement. The design of the XV's originated from the air craft X-15 which was developed by NASA during the 1950s and was, to say the least, a bit radical.
The tongue of the shoe was sticking out in a style that very much made the owners' thoughts go directly to Michael himself. The sides of the shoe were in a woven pattern.
The Jordan 15's were the first Air Jordan's to be negatively received in a while (the last being the Air Jordan 2's).
Air Jordan XVI
Following the success of the XV's there was no doubt that Nike/JB would continue to release Air Jordan's,therefore XVI's hit the shelves in 2001.
The XVI's were designed by Nike's Senior Footwear Designer Wilson Smith. This meaning it was the first design since the III's that Tinker Hatfield wasn't behind. Hatfield was said to have moved up and he left Smith with the hard task of creating a revolutionary new design. Smith decided to bring in a few design elements/fabrics from earlier releases. For instance they saw the return of the clear rubber sole (V, VI, XI) and also featured patent leather (XI).
What made the XVI's unique was the brand new gaiter/shroud that covered the shoe and could be removed to give the shoe a brand new look. Not only was this for fashion purposes, it also had a thermal functionality.
The shoe was said to be a little stiff and that to wear the shroud/gaiter when playing basketball really wasn't a good idea, as it could easily fall off. The black/red and white/middnight navy versions of the shoe both featured patent leather which very easily creased and cracked.
Air Jordan XVII
This shoe comes equipped with Keefer, which held the shoes and a compact disc containing the Air Jordan XVII song. The retail price of the shoe was $200. The defining functional design element of the Air Jordan XVII model which was later replicated on the Air Jordan XXIII model was the reinforced midsole which provided a very sturdy and stable chassis for the shoe. They were made in four mid top colors and three lowtop colors.
Air Jordan XVIII
The Air Jordan XVIII was released in 2003 and was the shoe for Jordan’s last season,in which Jordan played for the Washington Wizards.
The designer of the Air Jordan 18 was Jordan Senior Footwear Designer Tate Kuerbis,a person that had been part of the Jordan footwear design team since 1999 and with Nike since 1995. The inspiration for the design is a combination of a number of things; Sleek racing lines of the auto world, Carbon fiber-based monocoque of F1 race cars, Race car driving shoes (rubber heel wrap) and Fine Italian dress shoes (bold stitching on the soles).
Air Jordan XIX
Released in 2004. This is the first Jordan release after his third, and final, retirement which came after the 2002-2003 NBA season. The design was inspired by the Black Mamba snake,two original colorways where released: white/flint grey and black/red. Three regional colorways and three special edition colorways were released. They consisted of the East, West, and Midwest edition for regular and West, East, and Olympic for the SE (special edition).
The Air Jordan XIX used innovative materials. The upper section of shoe was developed in collaboration with the global materials consultancy Material ConneXion, who sourced Nike a monofilament sleeving normally used in architectural applications for protecting PVC pipes from bursting. In theory, this allowed for a lace-less shoe because the sleeving does not stretch, however the Air Jordan XIX model did include a set of laces behind the sleeve to better secure the shoe. They are the lightest Air Jordans ever made.
Air Jordan XX
This revolutionary motorcycle-inspired model celebrated the legacy of Michael Jordan. Equipped with next generation IPS (independent Podular Suspension) cushion, a spherical shape and a laser etched design representing immortalized symbols of Jordan on its lace strap and interior gave this shoe a unique look and performance. As well as being inspired by motorcycles this design was also inspired by bicycling shoes. This is why the strap was placed in the center of the shoe over the laces. It also helped to create a tighter fit and increased support.
Air Jordan XX1/XXI
The Air Jordan XXI model was designed by D'Wayne Edwards and inspired by the world's finest sport touring vehicles. The shoe features lower-foot air grilles, double-overlasted Phylon midsole, a carbon fiber shank plate and a seamless diamond-quilted booty. It also has an evolutionary tunable I.P.S. suspension system that lets the wearer choose between Zoom and Encapsulated air.
Air Jordan XX2/XXII
The Air Jordan XX2/XXII model, designed by D'Wayne Edwards, was released on March 24, 2007. Its original retail price was $175 but has declined. The aggressive and sharp design was inspired by the F-22 Raptor fighter jet. Some technical features of the shoe include an updated visible & interchangeable I.P.S. suspension system , a new metallic mesh for ventilation, the Air Jordan camouflage pattern printed in reflective 3M, and an updated traction system, based on an army general's stripes.
There were two special editions of the Air Jordan XX2 model released. The first edition was released for Jordan's birthday on February 17. This edition featured authentic Jordan Brand basketball leather. The second edition was the Omega model, part of the Alpha-Omega package. This model featured a laser-etched image of Jordan after he won his sixth NBA championship in 1998.
An entirely new line of Air Jordan XX2/XXII shoes called the player editions or "PE's" were released with these shoes worn by NBA players from the Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, and Dallas Mavericks. This Air Jordan model featured a new strap around the heel and ankle.
The promo commercial for the XX2 was directed by Mark Romanek.
Air Jordan XX3/XXIII
Starting at the toe, the toe cap has Jordan’s signature embossed. The side of the shoe features a stitched pattern that gives the shoes strength in addition to cosmetic effect. The tongue of the left and right are different for a first time with a jumpman logo on the right shoe and the number “23″ embedded on the left shoe. The shoe also features a glittery glossy panel that covers the midsole body of the sneaker.
According to an article in Jet magazine, the XX3/XXIII is the first basketball shoe to be made under the "Considered" ethos, meaning the shoe is made with the environment in mind. The shoe was constructed using the absolute minimum amount of adhesive to make it more environmentally sound, while the soles (which are designed from Jordan's own fingerprint) are made from recycled rubber. It is considered the most technologically advanced Jordan model to date, and according to Gentry Humphrey, the head of the Jordan design team, it may be the last actual Air Jordan.
The shoe was released in three different colorways from January to February, with a limited edition release where 23 retailers around the world sold the shoe, before its national release in February.
The Air Jordan XX3/XXIII model had virtually eliminated the Jumpman logo. It is found only on the tongue of the right sneaker, and completely missing on the left sneaker, except on the ends of the shoelaces.
Air Jordan 2009
This new edition to the Jordan family was released on January 31, 2009. Only 2009 pairs were released throughout the country. The USA received 1005 while overseas received 1004. The Air Jordan 2009 was designed by Jason Mayden.It somewhat resembles the Air Jordan 14. This shoe was inspired by fencing. It features a small green-blue diamond on the top of the shoe. The special edition retailed for $230, while the regular models will retail for $190.
The New 2009 Air Jordan line was showcased from February 12, 2009 to February 14, 2009 at Metrocenter Mall in Phoenix, Arizona as part of NBA All-Star Weekend. Team Jordan athletes Jayson Mayden and Jadakiss made special appearances to sign autographs. It is called the 2009, as the traditional numbering of shoes discontinued with the previous model, the Air Jordan XX3/XXIII (which coincides with Michael Jordan's main number being 23).
Air Jordan 2010
The Air Jordan 2010 had such a great buzz with an endorsement by Dwyane Wade in 2010, Jordan Brand decided to keep the fans happy with the release of the Air Jordan 2011. The shoe is most famous for its inter-changeable insoles- The Red, "Explosive" one for power, and Blue, "Quick" one for quickness. This shoe is also endorsed by Dwyane Wade. Four colorways of the shoe were released on February 19, 2011 in correspondence with the 2011 All Star Game. The first colorway was the White/Black colorway. There were also a White/Red and White/Blue colorway that coincided with the East/West Jersey Colors. The Year Of the Rabbit colorway was a limited QS release that was a celebration of Michael Jordan's Chinese Zodiac sign coinciding with the current zodiac sign, the Year of the Rabbit.
The 2011 has a unique design along both sides of the shoe. It is a star-constellation pattern that also serves as breathing holes for the shoe to keep it well ventilated. What sets the shoe apart from the pack is the usage of Patina Leather wrapped around the shoe. Each pair is hand burnished and hand crafted. The dress shoe feel similar to the XI was the goal.
"Air Jordan Dub Zeros"
The Air Jordan Dub Zeros were a new creation by Jordan Brand released in 2005. The Air Jordan Dub Zero is a mixture of a handful of Air Jordans. The Jordan Dub Zero features detailed embossing that celebrates the history of the Air Jordan franchise. The Air Jordan 20 was a tribute to Michael Jordan and his career.
The Air Jordan Dub Zero features some of the most recognizable pieces of the most famous Air Jordan shoes.
* Jordan 4 The sole and midsole of the Air Jordan Dub Zero is made from the Air Jordan 4 sole.
* Jordan 6 The loop on the back of the Air Jordan Dub Zero is from the Air Jordan 6.
* Jordan 11 The patent leather on the Dub Zero got its inspiration from the Air Jordan 11.
* Jordan 12 The “T W O 3″ on the tongue of the Dub Zero is from the Air Jordan 12.
* Jordan 13 The shape of the upper of the Dub Zero come from the Air Jordan 13.
* Jordan 15 The woven leather on the back of the Dub Zero is inspired by the Air Jordan 15.
* Jordan 20 The laser etched upper of the Jordan Dub Zero is from the Air Jordan 20.
The Air Jordan Dub Zero is a unique shoe in itself from all other Jordan shoes. It is the only shoe that is a collaboration of several other Jordan shoes, but it is on its own since it is not part of the Air Jordan series, it is not a Retro Jordan, and is not part of the Jumpman Series nor the Jordan Lifestyle line. The shoe sold so well in 2005 that Jordan Brand brought the shoe back one last time at the end of 2006. The Jordan Brand released 4 other colorways of the Dub Zero starting in May 2009.
Like all Jordan shoes made, there are a lot of fake Jordan Dub Zeros. Most are quite humorous since there are many colorways floating around featuring Sponge Bob Dub Zeros.
Even though the Air Jordan Dub Zeros were made up of many Retro’s and previously released Jordans, this particular model was not a Retro. A total of five Air Jordan Dub Zeros have released, and sales for each one was selling out within days.
Jordan "6 Rings" shoe
The Jordan 6 Rings (also written as Air Jordan 6ix Rings) is a combination of the seven Air Jordan shoes that Michael Jordan wore during his 6 Championship seasons. That includes the AJ 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 14. The Jordan Brand company released the "6 Rings" shoes starting in September 2008.The Jordan Brand released colorways representative of each team that the Chicago Bulls defeated in each of their six championship seasons during the 1990s. The colorways include colors borrowed from the following teams: the L.A. Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Phoenix Suns, the former Seattle SuperSonics, and Utah Jazz, each shoe of which includes lazer-etched graphics detailing specific aspects about that particular championship series, the city of the competing team and so forth. Many other colorways exist and Jordan Brand continues to release additional colors that pay tribute to different Jordan and Nike shoes along with new colorways specific to 6 Rings shoes.
There even exists "winterized 6 rings" which are a modified 6 Rings shoe turned into a durable boot designed for the outdoors which changes some of the design and placement of the inspired pieces and parts from the Air Jordans the shoe pays tribute.Of particular note, there is an Olympic colorway, a Nelly version apparently inspired by the rap artist Nelly and a shoe that combines the colors of all the teams that the Bulls defeated in the NBA Finals, acting as the 'sixth shoe' since only five separate teams were defeated for the Bulls to win six championships; the Utah Jazz was defeated twice in both 1997 & 1998.
* Air Jordan 6: heel tab "spoiler," Jumpman on heel from retro 6 models, and lace locks
* Air Jordan 7: Nike Huarache style inner sock and perforated air holes in the mudguard of the upper
* Air Jordan 8: Chenille carpet-style sections on the tongue surrounding the Jumpman logo, dual velcro straps, the shape of the "23" printed on the lace locks and the colors on the midfoot arch plate on the sole
* Air Jordan 11: Silhouette of upper, lace eyestays on certain models and patent leather mudguard
* Air Jordan 12: TWO 3 embroidered on the tongue and metal lace loops at top of the ankle
* Air Jordan 13: Midsole "pods" and panther paw-shaped outsole
* Air Jordan 14: small Jumpman logo embroidered at the top of the toebox below the laces
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