Air Jordans, the birth of a Nike legend.
Nike trainers are legendary, thanks in large part to the brand's very astute marketing strategy. Ambassadors, collaborations, sponsors - the American label has always surrounded itself by the very best and generated huge waves of enthusiasm from the fashion-buying public. The iconic Air Jordan line is no exception, making as big an impression on the Nike story as on the history of basketball itself. It is now forty years since the very first version came out and in that time Air Jordan trainers created in partnership with Michael Jordan have been revisited numerous times. They were even given a personal twist by major artists like Eminem and Justin Timberlake.
The story of the first Air Jordan.
The first Air Jordan trainers saw the light of day in 1985. The name given to them was quite simply "Air Jordan 1". They were designed by Peter Moore and Michael Jordan himself wore the "Bred" version of the shoes, i.e. red and black in colour, whenever he played. The design quickly found itself at the centre of a controversy when the NBA ruled its use on the pitch unacceptable, saying its colours did not match the team’s kit. Nike chose to pay a fine every time the famous basketball player was on the pitch just so he could continue to wear them.
Variations on an iconic theme available here.
The multiple ups and downs in the saga of the Nike brand and Michael Jordan helped propel Air Jordan 1s to the status of iconic footwear. Even now, the style remains an instantly recognisable one with its high-top and the legendary swoosh logo on the side. In the men’s trainers category, the Air Jordan 1 is an essential range, but the other products to come out of the legendary partnership also deserve a mention: