The Nike Air Jordan Evolution
Michael Jordan the man himself may have stepped away from the game, but his legacy will always live on in the record books and with his shoes.

The shoe phenomenon that has become a fashion dynasty since its first release in 1985. Michael Jordan will forever have his nickname "Air Jordan" preserved on leather and lace as it will be worn by many future generations. Below are short background stories on the evolution of Air Jordan Shoes.


 

Air Jordan I (1985)

The Air Jordan I was designed by Peter Moore and marked a new era in the design of basketball shoes. The black/red model was banned by the NBA due to NBA color rules and this actually helped to create more publicity and more interest for the shoes. Whether this was a marketing ploy from Nike or not, it helped to generate the interest that, to date, has supported nineteen different Jordan shoes, retro versions, and limited editions.

The original Air Jordan I came with a double set of laces to match the two colors of  the shoe.  For example, the black/reds came with one set of black laces and one set of red laces.

The white/black-red and black/red Jordan I was released as a retro in 1994 and sold very poorly, however in 2001 they released them again in patent leather and the demand was much  greater.  Despite the changing of the times, the Air Jordan line has managed to survive controversy and changes in fashion while producing a quality basketball shoe.

Air Jordan II (1986)

The Air Jordan II was designed by Bruce Kilgore and just as its predecessor it showed a great innovative design. The low-tops were produced in Italy and and were far more stylish than the ordinary basketball shoe.

Surprisingly this is the only original Air Jordan ever that has not been made in a black version. While there were plans to release the Air Jordan II in black, these never became a reality for the original release of the Jordan II.

The white/black AJ IIs were retroed in 1994 in limited quantities. Just like the Air Jordan Retro I they sold very poorly and were often found deeply discounted at shoe stores nationwide. The Jordan II have been recently re-retroed, finally in black leather.¾ The Jordan Retro II is also available in white/varsity red-black.
 

Air Jordan III (1988)

The design  of the Air Jordan III was totally different from the Jordan  I and Jordan II.   It was the first pair of Jordan shoes  that showed a visible air sole. The designer behind this innovation was  Tinker Hatfield who designed every Air Jordan model up to the 15th.

This was also the very first Air Jordan to feature the Jumpman logo instead of the Wings logo on the first two Jordan shoes.

While the Jordan III might be one of the most popular Air Jordans ever, it was nonetheless highly unpopular when retroed in 1994.