The first Air Jordan
Air Jordan 1 High
Launched in 1985 and designed by Peter Moore, the Air Jordan 1 High was initially designed for Michael Jordan, one of the NBA rookies. The AJ1 set the tone for the partnership between Nike and Jordan. The first of many sneakers, these are now seen as the reference sneakers for all sneaker collectors. So popular, in fact, that 1985 versions sell for thousands and thousands of dollars. The record stands at $615,000 for a pair of Air Jordan 1 High Chicago from 1985, worn by the Bulls player in a game at the time.
Air Jordan 1 High collaborations and limited editions
Since then, Nike has taken advantage of the Air Jordan 1's popularity to launch a number of memorable collaborations and limited editions. Partnerships with renowned brands and designers, such as Off-White, Travis Scott and Dior, helped to reinvent and make the iconic silhouette more popular. Each collaboration has brought its own unique touch and caught sneakerhead's attention. Reissues of original 1985 colorways such as the "Banned", "Chicago" or "Royal" helped reinforcing the shoe status in the sneaker world.
The ongoing evolution of the AJ1
Nike keeps developing the Air Jordan 1 High while maintaining its essence. On the one hand with the Jordan 1 Low and Mid, and on the other with new interpretations, such as the "Zoom" or "FlyEase" versions. At the same time, Nike is honoring the AJ1's history by reissuing original colorways, such as the "Bred" or "Shadow", keeping a close link with the shoe's origins and legacy in basketball/sneaker culture.
