Walk outside on any given day, you’re bound to see someone rocking their favorite editions of retros. Considered to be some of the most iconic silhouettes in sneaker history, every sneakerhead has at least one pair in the arsenal. It could be the staple Air Jordan 1s, a colorful high-top pair of Air Jordan 7s, or the unique – yet somehow controversial? – pair, the Air Jordan 14s. Either way, shoes would not be the same if it wasn’t for Michael Jordan and Nike coming together to change footwear culture forever.
Coming into the league as a hot commodity after winning the 1982 NCAA Championship as a freshman and being named the NCAA All-American First Team two consecutive seasons as a North Carolina Tar Heel, brands we’re itching to endorse Michael Jordan with his own sneaker deal. Surprisingly, Nike wasn’t Jordan’s original top pick. The Adidas Top Ten had been a favorite of many pro athletes in the league at the time and Mike, being a fan of Marques Johnson, whose choice game day sneaker had been the aforementioned shoes, envisioned himself inking a contract with the 3-stripe brand. But, at the time, Adidas business policies just weren’t aligned with Jordan’s, so the offer was off the table. Another company interested, but didn’t play their cards right, had been Converse. Telling Mike that they couldn’t “envision him ahead of other big-time players.”
RED THUNDER
Air Jordan Retro IV
Released: January 15th, 2022
Nike was dedicated to giving Jordan an endorsement deal that not only showed off his own shoe, but enhance a brand that he could continue to grow alongside. Offering him a 2.5-million-dollar contract to sign with the swoosh – which many thought had been too much money – the intro to an era began.
37 years later and counting, the brand is still just as popular and just as influential to the sneaker community as always. Continuing to drop exclusive colorways and monumental collaborations of retro classics while being the secret ingredient that can turn a leisure outfit into a streetwear staple.
PARTICLE GREY
Air Jordan Retro IX
Released: June 21st, 2022
Approaching 38 years since the first Air Jordan premiered, many creatives have customized versions of their favorite silhouettes, from the late great Off-White Creator / Louis Vuitton Creative Director Virgil Abloh to Grammy Award Winning artist Billie Eilish. To this day, the Jordan Brand continues to cement its mark on footwear history while solidifying a place in sneakerhead hearts throughout the world.
Who knows what the basketball / sneaker landscape would look like today if Jordan got his wish…
Air Jordan Retro VI – UNC | Released: March 5th, 2022
Be sure to keep up with SNIPES for upcoming releases and check out the release tab for new drops. Browse our Retro Styles whenever you get a chance because you might find your new favorite addition to your collection and stay up to date with SNIPES on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to keep up with your favorite streetwear supplier.
