The Jordan Shoe History

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/red's 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 II's 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 Jordan's ever, it was nonetheless highly unpopular when retroed in 1994.

Air Jordan IV (1989)

The design of the Air Jordan IV,  courtesy of Tinker Hatfield, kept a lot of the feeling from the third model. It wasnt as innovative or groundbreaking as the previous designs, but by the this time the Air Jordan shoes line had gained the publics attention, leading to sell outs everywhere.

The Jordan IV was even featured in director Spike Lees movie Do The Right Thing. Apparently, the director really liked these shoes and decided to shoe his allegiance to them by giving the Jordans a cameo. 
One of the characters in the movie has his new Air Jordan IV shoes scuffed by a bicycle rider.  He places his shoe upon a fire-hydrant and cleans it with a toothbrush.

The Jordan IV was retroed 1999 in white/black and black/cement grey. Stores sold out after a few hours and demand was high; a complete change from the retro versions of Jordan I, Jordan II, and Jordan III.   At the same time, Nike/Jordan realized an opportunity to create more sales by releasing Retro+ models with a similar design but different colors or very small design changes.  These Retro+ models sold fairly although reactions to them are mixed.

Air Jordan V (1990)

Once again Tinker Hatfield introduced a revolutionary design for the Jordan V. A few design elements were carried over from the Jordan IV, but the Air Jordan V featured a great silver/reflex tongue and a clear/see-through rubber sole creating a completely unique look. With the addition of lacelocks and shark teeth shapes on the midsole, this shoe is rumoured to have been inspired by a World War II fighter plane.

The clear rubber sole also seen  in later Air Jordan Models such as VI, XI and XVI  has upset many collectors due to its tendency to turn yellow. These Jordan shoes were retroed in late 1999 in white/black-fire red and black/black-met silver meeting great demand  and enthusiasm in the marketplace. Retro+ models were also produced; one model featuring Michael Jordans high school colors.