The Nike Air Jordan 1 is a modern-day classic.
A favorite of sneakerheads worldwide, the shoe is synonymous with stylish streetwear getups and, of course, His Greatness.
Originally released in 1985 in a red-and-black colorway, the Air Jordan 1 is known as the controversial sneaker Michael Jordan wore in rebellion of the NBA’s uniform code. The NBA proceeded to fine Jordan each time he wore the shoes, and Nike responded with one of the most memorable ad campaigns in sneaker history.
Three decades later, Nike’s finally giving the NBA what they always wanted, in the form of a minimalist, deconstructed rendition of the original shoe, which is the kind of inspired, self-reflexive and altogether modern move that makes Nike, well, Nike.
But while the heritage gives the shoes a nice origin story, let’s not overlook how snazzy and of-the-moment it is as well. A lot of guys today don’t necessarily want sneakers that stand out from the crowd. If the market’s renewed interest in Stan Smiths and Chuck Taylors are any indication, men these days want simple, clean kicks.
And that’s exactly what the new duo of deconstructed Air Jordan 1s are.
Gone is the leather, replaced with a fully textured canvas upper and an easy-going silhouette that reminds this writer of another Nike shoe: the Blazer Mid, which is a skate shoe. The flashy leather has been replaced for with stitched outlines, lending to something familiar but wholly different.
So unrecognizable are these Jordans that it’ll make a non-sneakerhead want a pair.
The Air Jordan 1 Retro High Deconstructed will be releasing August 20th. Head on over to Renarts for more info.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
