Air Jordan 1: The story and origins of a revolution!

 

 The beginnings of the Jordan brand

 

As its name suggests, Jordan’s history is closely tied to that of legendary basketball player Michael Jordan. In the 1980s, Michael Jordan was a rookie with the Chicago Bulls who was beginning to make a name for himself. Converse, Adidas, and Nike started taking an interest in him and eventually each offered him a sponsorship deal to wear their sneakers during games. After lengthy negotiations, Jordan ultimately signed with the Swoosh brand for a salary of $500,000 a year, the creation of his own clothing brand, and a 25% commission on every pair sold.

 

When he signed the contract, Michael Jordan received a Nike Air Ship bearing the “Air Jordan” branding in the famous red and black “Bred” colorway. Legend has it that after he played his first game in this pair, the NBA decided to ban the model, deeming the colorway incompatible with the uniform required for teams in the league. This was an opportunity for Nike’s marketing team, which then created an ad featuring the star basketball player wearing the Air Jordan 1 Bred. The voice-over told consumers that although the NBA had banned the Jordan 1, nobody could stop them from wearing it. This legend and the accompanying marketing campaign were a success, making the shoe a coveted symbol of rebellion among young people. 

 

In light of the success of the Air Jordan line, the Swoosh gradually disappeared from the models and was replaced by the Jordan branding starting in 1992, the year the Air Jordan 7 was also released. In 1997, Jordan officially became a brand distinct from Nike: the Jordan basketball brand was born. 

 

The Jordan 1 as a symbol of popular culture

 

The Jordan 1 has shaped various aspects of popular culture throughout its history. One of its defining moments came in 1986 with the release of the Air Jordan II. This release caused the Air Jordan 1 to lose popularity, with sales and prices plummeting. At the time, you could find Air Jordan 1s for as little as $20, a price completely out of step with market realities in 2022. This price drop allowed the Jordan brand to reach a new audience: skaters. This affordable, comfortable high-top was a perfect fit for the skateboarding community, which still had no models designed specifically for it. Jordan made this relationship official much later, with the release of a pack of 6 Air Jordans designed for this urban sport in 2019.

 

Over time, the brand continued to make a deep mark on popular culture, notably with Air Jordan appearances in one of the most popular series of the era: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The Air Jordan V was released in 1990, alongside the launch of the series. Throughout the series, Will Smith’s character professes his love for the Air Jordan 5 White Grape, which helped make it a success, made it particularly popular with an entire generation, and turned Jordan into an iconic brand of the ’90s.

 

1996 marked the release of the legendary film Space Jam, starring Michael Jordan as himself alongside the Looney Tunes characters. Like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, this film would mark a generation that would see the brand as a model to follow.

 

Unique and essential collaborations  

 

The Air Jordan 1 enabled Nike to create a strong, independent brand and capitalize on the launch of several derivative models (Air Jordan 2, Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 5, and many others). The Air Jordan 1 is and always will be the OG model of choice for sneaker enthusiasts and collectors. As a result, many artists and brands have collaborated with Jordan on capsule collections. A form of recognition for those associated with this model. Discover a selection of essential collaborations below: 

 

 

• AIR JORDAN 1 RETRO HIGH UNION LOS ANGELES BLACK TOE : Released in November 2018, the Jordan 1 Union Black Toe is a legendary model for any self-respecting sneaker collector. This collaboration between Jordan and Union LA offers a reworked version of the OG Bred colorway.

 

• AIR JORDAN 1 HIGH OG SP FRAGMENT TRAVIS SCOTT : The Nike and Travis Scott collaboration is already one of the brand’s most iconic collections. For this new collaboration on the Air Jordan 1, the two entities join forces with the Fragment label in a Military Blue colorway featuring the rapper from Houston’s signature reversed Swoosh.

 

• AIR JORDAN 1 RETRO HIGH OFF-WHITE UNIVERSITY BLUE : Released in May 2018, Off-White and Nike launched their third collaboration on the Air Jordan 1 with the University Blue. After the “Chicago” and the “All White,” this collaboration features a sky-blue colorway stamped with Off-White and the classic red zip tie.

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