Air Jordan 1 Retro

Find a wide selection of Retro Air Jordan 1, High, Mid, and Low on basket4ballers.

The Air Jordan 1, also known as "AJ1," is an iconic basketball shoe created by Nike in 1985 for basketball player Michael Jordan. The shoe has enjoyed immense success among basketball and fashion fans and has become a cultural icon over the years.

The beginning of the collaboration between Michael Jordan and Nike

The collaboration between Michael Jordan and Nike began in 1984 when Jordan signed a sponsorship contract with the brand. Nike was a relatively new company in the sports shoe market, and Jordan had just been drafted third overall by the Chicago Bulls after spending three years in college at the North Carolina Tar Heels. Nike saw the unique potential of Jordan as a future brand ambassador and decided to create a unique basketball shoe for him.
The creation of the Air Jordan 1
Peter Moore, a shoe designer and creative director at Nike, was in  charge of creating the Air Jordan 1. He designed a pair that was both functional for basketball and stylish on and off the court. The Air Jordan 1 featured innovative characteristics for its time, such as rubber soles with improved traction patterns for better grip on the court and a padded ankle strap for added comfort and support.
The shoe's aesthetic was also groundbreaking. The Air Jordan 1 featured a premium leather design with a variety of bright and eye-catching colors. It was a departure from traditional basketball shoes, which typically featured dominant white or black colors.

The launch of the Air Jordan 1

The Air Jordan 1 was first launched in 1985 with a revolutionary advertising campaign. At its launch, the AJ1 was available in three colors: red and white, black and white, and black and red. The model quickly became popular, thanks in part to Michael Jordan's charismatic personality and his remarkable performance on the court. The Air Jordan 1 also sparked controversy because it did not comply with the NBA's strict rules requiring white shoes. Nike then paid the $5,000 fine imposed on MJ for each appearance he made on the court with the Air Jordan 1 on his feet and used this story to its advantage to fuel the shoe's storytelling and promotion.

The original (OG) colors of the AJ1

• The "Bred" colorway (for "black and red") was one of the first Air Jordan 1 colorways to be released in 1985. The iconic black and red colors quickly made this shoe one of the most popular models in history.
• The Air Jordan 1 "Chicago" was released in 1985 to honor Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls basketball team. The shoe's white, black, and red colors have also become iconic and remain associated with the AJ1.
• The "Royal" colorway was released in 1985 and features a mix of blue and black on the leather upper.
• The Air Jordan 1 "Shadow" was released in 1985 and features shades of gray and black on the leather upper.
• The "UNC" colorway, for Michael Jordan's alma mater, the University of North Carolina, was released in 1985 and was created to honor MJ's pre-NBA career. The shoe features blue and white tones on the leather upper, reminiscent of the UNC basketball team's colors.

The popularity of the Air Jordan 1

The popularity of the Air Jordan 1 has continued to grow over the years. Basketball fans have appreciated the shoe's performance and style, while fashion enthusiasts have appreciated its aesthetics. The Air Jordan 1 has become a symbol of popular culture and has been released in several silhouettes by Jordan brand: the High, which is the original model, as well as the Mid and Low. The AJ1 has also spawned numerous collaborations with renowned designers and artists:

• The hype really started in 2014, when Hiroshi Fujiwara, the founder of Fragment Design, worked with Jordan to revisit the AJ1 Black Toe, replacing the red heel tab with his brand's signature electric blue.
• Three years later, the Air Jordan 1 x Off-White was born. It was part of the collection called The Ten by designer Virgil Abloh in 2017. The minimalist design and subtle details made this Jordan 1 x Off-White "Chicago" one of the most coveted colorways among collectors.
• The Air Jordan 1 x Travis Scott collaboration. In 2019, Houston rapper Travis Scott collaborated with Jordan Brand to create an Air Jordan 1 in his image. The shoe features a unique design with a reversed swoosh.
• The Air Jordan 1 x Dior collaboration. In 2020, the French luxury fashion house Dior collaborated with Jordan Brand to create a capsule collection of shoes and clothing inspired by the Air Jordan 1. The Air Jordan 1 x Dior is one of the most exclusive and expensive models ever created, with a suggested retail price of over 2,000 euros and a resale price of several tens of thousands of euros.