After the immense success that the Jordan 1 found between 2019 and now, it’s difficult to imagine that for a large part of Jordan brand’s history, the Air Jordan 11 was the most popular model. Launched in 1995, it became the go-to shoe for the Jumpman during his 1995-1996 season which is about as good an advert that a shoe can have. But it wasn’t just Jordan’s love for it that buoyed the silhouette. When it came to designing the shoe, Tinker Hatfield wanted to do something that had never been done before.
Hatfield is known as one of sneaker design’s all-time greats. What gave his work its timeless, unmistakable quality was that he refused to copy other sneaker designs. Instead, Hatfield looked to basically anything else for inspiration. From animal feet to outer space, nothing was off-limits. For the Air Jordan 11, Hatfield cited convertible cars as his inspiration. Wanting to use materials that had never been used in a basketball shoe, Hatfield opted for a patent leather ‘body’ and a nylon ‘roof’.
Inspired by a convertible, it makes sense that the Air Jordan 11 Low is a success, too. The Jordan brand doesn’t have a great history with low-top translations, with the updates often being seen as inferior. We’d argue that out of the whole lot, the Nike Air Jordan 11 Low is the most successful low-top Jordan around and to prove it we enlisted the help of Stadium Goods to round up some of the best Air Jordan 11 Low pairs to buy.
Shop the best Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Lows below.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low UNC
Originally dropped in 2001, the Air Jordan 11 Low UNC is an homage to Michael Jordan's alma mater: the University of North Carolina.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Legend Blue
When the Air Jordan 11 first released in 1995, it came in three colorways. This Legend Blue colorway was one of them, although back then it was known as the Columbia. The 2021 release is one for the collectors as it dropped for the brand's 25th anniversary and features a '25' on the insole where Jordan's '23' insignia usually sits.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Concord Bred
Is it the Concord? Is it a Bred? Well, it's a bit of both. Two icons of the sneaker world collide in the Concord Bred, and with the top chopped off, they're given a whole new look.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Bred
But, for those who can't stand seeing the legendary Bred colorway diluted, here's the real deal. This retro model was released in 2015 and stands out as one of the ultimate low-top sneakers.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Cool Grey
Did you know that the Cool Grey colorway actually originated with the Jordan 11? This 2018 rerelease gave Jumpman fans another chance to sport the beautiful, tonal uppers again.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low
Not all of the best kicks have to be limited drops, by the way. This general-release pair of Jordan 11 lows is one of our favorite colorways in today's roundup. The gum outsole works in perfect tandem with the navy uppers for a retro finish that's ideal for lifestyle use.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Infrared
When you see the word Infrared in a Nike shoe title you're probably preparing for something seriously bold. The Jordan 11 Low Infrared is a big exception. With subtle Infrared hits to the outsole and branded elements, this shoe proves that sometimes less is more.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Barons
Remember when Jordan chose the bat over the basket and did a stint in Minor League Baseball? Yeah, so do we. One of the best things to come from his departure is this Barons colorway. In honor of the Birmingham Barons team that he joined, this pair features an all-black upper combining coarse suede and marbled patent leather.
Nike Air Jordan 11 Retro Low Cherry
First hitting shelves in 2001, it took a long 15 years for the Jordan 11 Cherry to make its return. In 2016 we were treated to the shining red mudguard that jumps from the clean, white mesh upper. Worth the wait.
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