Jordan Brand are continuing to re-retro some of the OG silhouettes with their Remastered initiative, the latest sneak peek of the upcoming silhouette Jordan IV ‘White Cement’ has caused some confusion with new sneakerheads as it brings back the original Nike Air Branding on the Heel. We look at why the Nike Branding on Retro silhouettes is important and why, take a read and share the piece to get our fellow sneakerheads fully schooled.
Those of you that were aware of the sneaker scene in the late 1980’s would remember the introduction of the Air Jordan sneakers. Shoes were just shoes until Michael Jordan put a meaning to this. Soon after Jordan debuted the Air Jordan 1, the NBA banned the shoes because of the feature of ‘non regulation’ colours. Jordan’s’ ruthless attitude towards this ban, single-handedly redefined the NBA superstar. From this moment on, the legacy of the Air Jordan’s was born, rather that, the legacy of basketball sneakers was born. Nike joining forces with MJ redirected Nike onto a new platform. The air Jordan 1, designed by Peter Moore, in a traditional red and black colour scheme to match the uniform of the Chicago Bulls, was first produced for Jordan himself in 1984. Nike, seeing the NBA players’ rebellion towards this outlaw influenced a new sight into the legend by creating more of a buzz for the sneaker. Featuring the Nike Swoosh on the mid panel and newly designed wings logo on the upper ankle, the Air Jordan 1 embodied a silhouette of the sneaker to be. It changed the way people looked at athletic shoes and as Larry Bird claimed “God is disguised as Michael Jordan” – Amen.
Why is Nike Air so cherished? Because it encapsulates the nostalgic attachment drawn from the heritage of the shoe. The era from Air Jordan III to VI is reflected as the ‘golden age’ of Air Jordan, this can only be due to the utilization of the Nike Air logo on the heel. This changed history. Today, sneaker enthusiasts are mind-washed to fall in love with the Air Jordan shoe aesthetics as you go with the waves of evolved trends, however history repeats itself. It is crucial to be aware of the heritage to truly appreciate the evolved Air Jordan. The new Remastered Initiative of Air Jordan bringing back the Nike Air branding retells the memorable moments in Jordan’s career and sports history as a whole. According to David Schecter, Michael Jordan requested for the remastering of the retro line to not be made too luxurious, “Just don’t make it too premium. If you’re going to get it the way that I played, don’t go too premium. Don’t go too far with the details” to avoid too much diversion from the original.
MJ’s legacy must stay alive; in order for this light to still burn we need to understand the history of the original. “The brand is 30 years old, and the shoes that we’re talking about are nearly 30 years old, so carrying the torch in creating the next future classics was really important,” product line manager Jeff Atienza said. However, fashion moves on swiftly, so whilst they are trying to bring the original back, is the past best left in the past? Retro is a dying art and “we want to hold that sacred and keep doing it that way, because that’s the best way to make them”. The upcoming release of the Air Jordan IV will take the movement one step further with a retro revamp whilst maintaining the authenticity of Michael’s ‘Air Jordans’.
Words: Jadie White – @jadiewhite
