CRACK’D - The Evolution of Air Jordan 1

Air Jordans are known to be the most exclusive pair of sneakers ever made. In 1985, Nike made a pair exclusively for Michael Jordan, soon after he finished his rookie year with the infamous Chicago Bulls. The shoes weren’t going to be ready until November that same year; and so, Jordan played in the Air Ship sneakers instead - given that they were practically indistinguishable to the Air Jordan 1. It was because of this visual trick that the Nike Air Jordan 1s became an eternal rage! 

It was during that first season, in 1985, that Nike Jordans released 13 colourways of the shoe, that would come to be the legendary Air Jordan sneakers that we know of today. 

Even though there are dozens of variations of the Nike Air Jordan 1 colourways that have come into existence since;  these 13 colourways will always stand as the basis for what the Air Jordan 1 would grow to become. 

As the world followed Michael Jordan’s career, they also followed the shoes he was wearing while playing on the court. Each year saw the release of a new Nike Jordan shoe that blew up the sneaker market after every release. What few know is that the Air Jordan 1 wasn’t always called that. When the pair was launched, they were just called Air Jordans. 

When Micheal Jordan returned to basketball again in 2001, so did the Jordan 1. Over the next three years following his comeback, the AJ brand brought back some of those original 13 colourways (Royals and Breds), and released a small batch of new colourways that would later become classics. These were the Japan Navy, the White Chrome (that featured a Jumpman logo instead of a swoosh), and the Black/Metallic Gold.

Michael Jordan officially and finally retired in 2003, and the very next year, the AJ brand retired the much-loved Air Jordan 1. In the years that followed, there were many changes made to the classic silhouette that was brought back again and again to command trends all over the world. 

In 2017, one of the most highly anticipated sneaker releases came about when Virgil Abloh and Off-White got their hands on the Air Jordan 1. Three decades after the first pair ever launched, it created the same stir as it did before in 1985. 

Air Jordans came into India around the mid-2000s and are now one of our bestsellers at Crepdog Crew. With a burgeoning sneaker culture in India, Jordans have found a lucrative market for themselves. Today, it is known as the greatest sneaker of all time - the shoe that perhaps started it all!