Sneakers You Need to Know: Air Jordan 1
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By Stadium Goods |Sneakers You Need to Know: Air Jordan 1
Learn all the fundamentals of the greatest sneaker ever, including its history, different heights, sizing, alternate versions, and more.
Matt DeSciora
It goes without saying that we here at Stadium Goods love sneakers. We’re excited to carry some of the most desirable shoes in the world in our inventory, and even more hyped when we get to talk about what makes them so special in our Chicago and New York City stores, on our social media feeds, and here in our Journal. As much as we appreciate all shoes, it’s undeniable that some stand out more than others in regards to their impact in the culture. With that in mind, we have no problem crowning the Air Jordan 1 as the greatest sneaker of all time.
Originally released in 1985 by Nike, the Jordan 1 isn’t only Michael Jordan’s first signature shoe, but the model that launched the most successful shoe line by an athlete. Its immense popularity following its introduction led the shoe to becoming the conduit to modern sneaker culture, as well.
Convinced the Air Jordan 1 is a sneaker you need to know in 2022? If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about the history of the shoe, including essential information like sizing, top colorways, care instructions, and more, you’ll find everything you need to know about the Air Jordan 1 below.
Air Jordan 1 Low OG “Neutral Grey”
Knowing the Air Jordan 1’s Three Heights
The Air Jordan 1 was released as both a high-top and low-top shoe in 1985. It was simply known as the “Air Jordan High” or “Air Jordan Low” back then, with the high-top style being the original silhouette. Colorways like the “Chicago,” “Bred,” “Black Toe,” “Royal,” and “Shadow” were among the first designs introduced on the Air Jordan 1 High. The original Air Jordan 1 Low was released in “Neutral Grey,” and a few other colorways, none of which were worn by Michael in the NBA. The third and final Air Jordan 1 height is the mid-top, which was released strictly as a lifestyle shoe in the 2000s.
This is just some extra food for thought, but if you go back and look at old photos of Michael wearing the original Jordan 1 in the ‘80s, it almost looks like he’s wearing the mid-top version of the shoe—and he was! Michael’s Player Exclusive version of the Jordan 1 featured a noticeably shorter height that was somewhere between a high and a mid-top.
Women’s Air Jordan 1 High Zoom CMFT “Purple Patent”
The Alternate Air Jordan 1s
What do we mean by alternate Air Jordan 1s? Well, allow us to explain. We know the shoe has three different heights: high, mid, and low. But it’s also been rolled out in a few different versions that modify its design. Some of the most popular alternate Jordan 1s include the Air Jordan 1 High Zoom Comfort, which adds extra padding to the collar and Zoom Air cushioning to the heel and the Women’s Air Jordan 1 Low Elevate, a women’s-exclusive shoe with a thick, platform-style sole. Both of these styles bring a more contemporary look to the Jordan 1 while still honoring the shoe’s timeless design.
Air Jordan 1 Colorways & Collaborations
Now that we’ve covered the Air Jordan 1’s three silhouettes and some of its alternate models, it’s time to move onto colorways and collaborations. Let’s start with original Air Jordan 1 colorways, because… where else would we start? Some popular OG styles include the “Chicago,” “Bred,” and “Black Toe,” all of which were worn by Michael in the NBA. Other notable releases from back in the day include the “UNC,” “Royal,” and “Shadow.” Michael never wore these colorways in an official NBA game, but there are a few really cool photos of him rocking them in early Nike Air Jordan advertisements. The most rare original Jordan 1 colorways are those from the “Metallic” collection. Good luck finding much, if any, information on these obscure shoes on the ‘net.
In terms of collaborations, well, there are a lot of them. And that’s putting it mildly. Some of the more notable ones include Off-White’s “The 10,” Travis Scott’s “Cactus Jack” colorways, Fragment Design’s 2015 project, and Melody Ehsani’s “Fearless” Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid. Speaking of Melody’s “Fearless” colorway, let’s cover another essential piece of Air Jordan 1 information next: the Women’s Jordan 1.
Women’s Air Jordan 1 High OG “Bubble Gum”
The Women’s Air Jordan 1
The Women’s Air Jordan 1 deserves its own blurb, because in our estimation, no shoe has been hotter in recent years than the Women’s Jordan 1 Mid. The shoe’s popularity was sparked by Melody’s watch-clad “Fearless” colorway in late 2019, and kicked into overdrive by colorways like the “UNC,” “Apricot,” and more thereafter.
Women’s Air Jordan 1 Mid “Apricot”
Other popular Air Jordan 1s for women can be found on the shoe’s other silhouettes, as well. The Women’s Air Jordan 1 High OG “Tie-Dye” is a great summer-ready vibe, and the model’s “Satin Snake” colorway turns heads while honoring the Bulls’ black, white, and red color scheme. The shoe’s “Satin Black Toe” and “UNC to Chi” colorways are also among the most desirable women’s shoes on the planet.
Jordan 1 Sizing: How Does the Jordan 1 Fit?
Luckily, things aren’t tricky when it comes to sizing the Air Jordan 1. As far as the Jordan 1 is concerned, it’s pretty simple. Sizing is pretty standard between all three models. It is advised you select your standard sneaker size when purchasing the Air Jordan 1 in any height. In other words, the Jordan 1 fits true to size—or “TTS” as sneaker collectors like to say.
The Air Jordan 1’s Most Memorable On-Court Moments
The Air Jordan 1 wouldn’t be held in such high regard by sneaker collectors without all the memorable on-court moments tied to its legacy. A legacy that began with the Jordan 1 “Bred.” Or should we say, the Nike Air Ship? It was actually the Air Ship, NOT the Jordan 1, that was laced to Michael’s feet during his early days in the NBA with the Bulls. Famously, Jordan wore a pair of black and red Air Ships during an exhibition game against the New York Knicks that drew the ire of the NBA, who then had a rule in place that said players’ shoes had to have at least 51% white in their design. The black/red Air Ship didn’t. The NBA banned the shoe. In response, Nike encouraged Michael to wear the Air Jordan 1 “Banned” during the ‘85 Slam Dunk contest, which is our first memorable Jordan 1 on-court moment.
The next important footnote in Jordan 1 history is Michael’s wearing of the model’s “Chicago” colorway during the ‘86 Playoffs against the Boston Celtics. In Game 2 of the opening round, Michael went off for a 63-point performance in the “Chicago” Jordan 1 against the Celtics, a record-setting performance that still stands today as the most points scored by a player in an NBA Playoff game.
The third and final on-court moment tied to the Air Jordan 1 we’ll be covering here is Michael’s decision to bring back the “Chicago” colorway for his final game at Madison Square Game as a Chicago Bull in ‘98. To put the significance of the moment in perspective, consider that Michael wore an original version of the “Chicago” Jordan 1 from ‘85 that day, not the retro version that Nike released in 1994. Also consider that Michael’s shoes were a full size too small.
Air Jordan 1 High OG “Chicago”
The Air Jordan 1: A Legendary Sneaker
As we know, Nike went on to release follow-up Air Jordan shoes after the Jordan 1. Classics like the Air Jordan 3, Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 11, and so many others, are considered some of the greatest sneakers in history for a myriad of reasons. But the shoe that started it all is the Jordan 1. It’s the model that put Michael, Nike, and basketball shoes on the map. It’s the model that Michael wore when he competed in his first Slam Dunk Contest in ‘85, and in his record-setting 63 point performance in the ‘86 NBA Playoffs. It’s the model that Michael chose to wear as a sendoff during his final appearance at Madison Square Garden as a Bull in ‘98.
Today, you can catch the Jordan 1 in a wide variety of colorways and collaborations, different heights, alternate models, and in full family sizing, too. If you were to build a sneaker collection around a small collection of kicks, the Jordan 1 would have to be considered a must-have for your lineup. Its place in history is sealed more than three decades after its debut.