Air Jordan is a sneakers line launched by Nike in November 1984, inspired by the basketball legend Michael Jordan. The name “Air” comes from the incredible skills of MJ on the field and identified by a serial roman number. Up to this day, 34 types of Air Jordan have been released, and a few of them (the first 12 pairs) have been worn by Michael during a match.
Here are 10 facts about the Air Jordan:
- Micheal Jordan has always been a fan of cars. When he signed his first contract with Nike, in 1984, Jordan requested to receive a car as part of the deal, which the brand ended up agreeing on.
- The reaction of Jordan after seeing the first version of his signature sneakers with the colours of his team was of shock: “I can’t wear those shoes, I would look like a clown”.
- Jordan revolutionized the length of the basketball shorts saying no to the classic short shorts since his first brainstorming sessions with Nike.
- When he went on a promotional tour around Europe with Nike, during the summer of 1985, Jordan visited different cities, Paris and London included. In Trieste, during a match, he dunked the ball so hard that he broke the billboard frame while wearing a pair of Air Jordan I.
- The Air Jordan II are quite unique. Designed in the United States, these shoes are made with innovative Spanish technologies and Italian leather.
- The leather used for the Air Jordan III made the line more luxurious. Jordan wanted that the sneakers always looked new, at every match, but there was no time to adapt the shoes every time. Hetfield thought that elephant leather would be a good choice because it’s strong and resistant.
- The fluid lines of Italian cars, strong and fast, were a big source of inspiration for the design of the Air Jordan. Mixing Jordan’s passion for cars and basket.
- The Jordan brand took under their wing April Homes, an athlete that lost her leg in 2001 and won several Olympics medals.
9. The Air Jordan XII is not only the sneakers that Jordan wore on the 11th of June 1997, when even if he was ill, still scored 38 points. The silhouette is inspired by female shoes.
10. Before the Air Jordan V, a see-through sole was rare. Tinker Hatfield was inspired by the Nike Mag, created for Back to the Future 2. The sole and reflective details give even more visibility to the player.
