Iconic Air Jordans For Any Collector
Jordans are iconic. Jordans are cool. Nike Air Jordans are the very foundation of sneaker culture. And these are the 10 Air Jordans we think every sneakerhead needs in their collection. The Nike Air Jordan Brand has been a canvas for design inspiration over the years, and we’ve brought together a list of the best of the best - from Dior and Virgil Abloh to Drake.
1 | Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro Bred 2001
One of the Jordan brand’s most iconic limited releases, this 2001 Jordan retro throws it back to 1985, when the OG “Bred” colorway made its debut. Like the original Nike Air Jordan 1 Bred, this style features a black and Varsity Red upper, high-top cut and Nike branding on the tongue.
2 |Nike Air Jordan 1 x OFF-WHITE Retro High OG
Virgil Abloh’s signature styling defines the Off White Jordan 1 2018 Europe-exclusive release from the highly sought-after collaboration. A fresh take on the classic Nike Air Jordan 1, this Off White Air Jordan 1 features white uppers with blue and orange accents, deconstructed Swoosh and Off White branding throughout. Coming hot off the heels of the collab’s ‘Chicago’ and ‘UNC’ editions, this Off White Nike Air Jordan 1 is the rarest of three Air Jordan 1 Off White colorways.
3 | Nike Air Jordan 1 Low Dior
A partnership between a Parisian fashion house Dior and the Jordan Brand created the very popular Dior Jordan 1 Low. Released in a limited run of 8,500 pairs of Lows and 4,700 pairs of Highs, the Dior Jordan 1 collaboration was timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the Air Jordan. The Dior Jordan 1 made its runway debut in Dior’s men’s pre-fall 2020 show in Miami. The release of the Dior Jordan 1 marked the first time a Parisian couture house partnered with the Air Jordan basketball brand. Martin Lotti, the vice president of design for Jordan Brand, called the marriage a partnership that blends “high-end streetwear with luxury fashion.” The Dior Air Jordan 1 Low features a two-tone color scheme with a Dior Air tongue tag, Dior Oblique jacquard Swoosh and Dior Wings logo on the heel.
4 | Nike Off-White Air Jordan 4 Sail
You probably think some sneakers belong in a museum, which is exactly what happened with the Nike Off White Jordan 4 Sail - a very special Air Jordan 4. A collaboration between artist Virgil Abloh, founder of Milan label “Off-White” and artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection, the Off White Jordan 4 Sail first appeared in an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Abloh also put the Off White Jordan 4 l in his own brand’s ready-to-wear runway show during Paris Fashion Week, pairing it alongside both casual, flowing pieces and bold cut-out styles. Before that, the Nike Off White Jordan 4 Sail turned heads at the one-of-a-kind “Figures of Speech” exhibition. Abloh generated plenty of buzz with the interesting details on this Air Jordan 4, including a Sail zip tie, translucent detailing, and “AIR” displayed on the lateral side.
5 |Nike KAWS x Air Jordan 4 Retro
A collaboration between legendary street artist KAWS and the Air Jordan Brand, the Air Jordan 4 KAWS 2017 release was so hotly anticipated that it nearly started a riot—a London raffle for the Nike Air Jordan 4 KAWS even had to be shut down by police. Featuring uppers and midsoles dressed in premium gray suede, the Air Jordan 4 KAWS definitely lives up to the hype: the artist’s distinctive Mickey Mouse-inspired glove graphics adorn the insoles, outsoles and uppers, along with his signature ‘XX’ on the heel tab.
6 | Nike Air Jordan 23 Finale
In a Chicago Bulls-inspired black and Varsity Red colorway with a ’23’ graphic on the tongue, the Nike Air Jordan 23 pays homage to MJ’s celebrated legacy. The Air Jordan 23 2008 design was exclusively released to just 23 select Jordan Brand retailers, each limited to 23 pairs per store.
7 |Nike Air Jordan 5 Retro SE Oregon
The University of Oregon Jordan colorway has a special significance in Nike history: the company was founded by former ‘Oregon Ducks’ track athlete Phil Knight and coach Bill Bowerman. Like the University’s Jordan PE edition, the Jordan 5 Oregon Retro SE features Apple Green uppers with contrasting black eyelets, tongues and mesh, and midsoles accented with signature shark tooth detailing in Yellow Strike.
8 | Air Jordan 13 Retro Gym Red Flint Grey
Inspired by the Air Jordan 13 Flint, this Jordan 13 Retro 2021 release reimagines the 1998 Nike Air Jordan 13 blue colorway with reflective mesh uppers in Gym Red. Accented with a white leather toe and Flint Durabuck, the Air Jordan 13 retro preserves the Jordan 13 original signature holographic eye on the lateral ankle, black Jumpman logo on the tongue, and Air Jordan branding.
9 | Nike Air Jordan X Retro OVO White
When you see the OVO branding, it might not be readily apparent who’s behind it. OVO, which stands for “October’s Very Own,” belongs to Canadian superstar Aubrey ‘Drake’ Graham — better known to everyone as Drake. The OVO clothing line launched in 2011 and the Nike Air Jordan 10 Retro OVO White followed in 2016. The monochromatic look of the Air Jordan 10 bears OVO branding on the sole and luxe gold Jumpman and “Jordan 23” logos dropped just in time for NBA All-Star Weekend. The timing could not have been more perfect for the well-known Toronto Raptors fan since All-Star Weekend took over Drake’s hometown. Drake himself announced the starting lineup for the game, a perfect forum for introducing a new look sneakerheads everywhere clamored to get.
10 | Nike Air Jordan 9 Boot University of Michigan PE
Never released to the public, this rare player exclusive Air Jordan 9 Boot celebrates the Michigan Wolverines athletics program. The Air Jordan 9 navy blue and yellow accents pay homage to the team’s colors, while the heels display an ‘M’ for ‘Michigan.’ This winterized version of the classic Jordan 9 can even stand up to the Michigan chill, with weather-resistant uppers and extra tread on the soles.
