Last Updated on April 13, 2024 by Ali Hamza
The appeal of the Air Jordan 1 is undeniable! It might be considered the king of collector shoes. The model’s history and appeal may be appreciated by everyone from long-time sneakerheads to brand-new hypebeasts.
The Jordan 1 is still popular because it is iconic, goes with everything, and is inextricably linked to the history of shoe collecting in general. Of course, scarcity and hype play a part as well.
Being the first model in a long line of Jordan Brand releases with a plethora of varied hues and form factors (low, mid, high, etc.) offers the shoe both unique history and broad appeal. If you’re new to sneaker collecting, it appears that at least one pair of AJ1s is a “must.”
The Air Jordan 1 is widely regarded as the birthplace of sneaker culture. Given that Air Force 1 was published a few years earlier, this assertion is dubious. Despite the fact that the Air Ship was the first Nike that Michael Jordan wore in the NBA. Peter Moore created the model and the renowned “wings” emblem.
We can all agree that hype is important in driving shoe popularity and sales. The Jordan 1 is and has always been one of the most hyped shoes, with celebrities and influencers spotted wearing them to this day. As a result, certain hues sell out and become increasingly difficult to buy in retail.
When was the Air Jordan 1 first popular?
While the Air Jordan 1 received attention when it initially launched in 1984-1985, it didn’t gain appeal until retros became available in 2001.
Jordan originally intended to join with either Adidas or Converse. Unlike the AF1, he desired a shoe that was low to the ground. With the Air Ship and Air Jordan 1, Peter Moore came to the rescue, customizing the lower profile midsole to MJ’s satisfaction.
The AJ1 was initially contentious, which led to some initial buzz surrounding the sneaker. Or, at the very least, some notoriety. In the early 1980s, the conventional hoop shoe was white with one team color. The Jordan 1 included black into the sneaker, giving it three hues rather than simply two (except the black and red colorway). This resulted in penalties and publicity whenever Michael Jordan wore the sneakers.
The Jordan 1 would eventually be retired until 1995, when the first throwback series was introduced. These had poor sales at the time and were frequently relegated to discount racks! The world wasn’t quite ready for the AJ1 vintage yet. However, when retros reappeared in 2001, their appeal was evident. The Air Jordan 1 has been launched in various hues since then, with enormous success, as shoe culture has grown up with the model.
What was Jordan’s first shoe?
Originally, the Chicago and Black Toe colors were used as backups for MJ to wear on the court. The Air Ship was eventually taken out, and Michael just wore the Jordan 1. The Bred colorway was later added to the rotation.
Before the Air Jordan 1, pictures of MJ wearing other sneakers besides Nikes may be seen online. He was seen sporting the Adidas Forum, for example.
When the Air Jordan 1 was initially unveiled, many people thought it was unattractive. As a result, the sneaker’s current popularity is somewhat ironic.
Where Can I Get Air Jordan 1s?
The Air Jordan 1 is available in mid, low, and high cuts. The highs are the most popular and are available on SNKRS, boutiques, and aftermarket sites.
The AJ1 mid was the closest approximation we could come to the old school Jordan 1 high when I first started collecting. In the day, they were regarded highs rather than mids. It wasn’t until approximately 2013 when Air Jordan 1 retros in the customary high cut were available.
After a while, a distinction between high and mid-top variants emerged, with mids and lows being the unpopular alternative for those who couldn’t get their hands on the high-top models. This continued for a time, until the model’s popularity grew so strong that even the once-disregarded mid and low-top J1s became hot sellers!
The point is that the Air Jordan 1 may be quite tough to buy, especially in popular hues.
