They say that all good things must come to an end, but great things? Greatness just keeps getting better, as you can tell from Nike's Air Jordan 1 sneaker line, which is reportedly getting yet another update thanks to Jordan Brand's ongoing Reimagined series.
Yes, the Air Jordan High OG "Black Toe" is back in black. Or maybe it's better to say it's cracked in black, as Nike has revamped the timeless, Chicago-adjacent colorway with what appears to be pre-distressed leather according to sneaker leakers.
Pre-loved Jordan shoes aren’t usually something you break out and wear but Nike is clearly expecting these shoes to do numbers. Black Toe is a pretty popular colorway, after all.
The 2024 Black Toe AJ1 shoe's cracked white upper, as implied by some of the first-look outlets, has a sort of marble feeling to it, inviting anyone who meticulously cares for their Jordans to pause — are they old or is this a new pattern? It’s both, really.
Either way, the flipped colorway of these reimagined for 2024 Air Jordan 1 sneakers begs a second glance on the curb.
It’s so similar to the the original red and black Chicago colorway with a grey details on the tongue, created in 1984 and released in 1985, just…backwards.
There’s a white upper with red details on the back sole, a black leather ankle cap, and a full black toe stemming from the oversized black Nike swoosh. They’re sharp AF.
This is the most recent set of reimagined, pre-loved on purpose Air Jordan 1s. In 2022, Nike released the AJ 1 “Lost & Found” AKA “Chicago Reimagined,” with its own light distressing that even included a cracked ankle cap.
They even came in a beat up box and handwritten receipt.
The “Lost & Founds” AJ1 resells for about $600, though their original price tag hovered around the $200 mark, so its likely the Black Toe will follow suit pricewise regardless of how people feel about the treatment.
Indeed, even with mixed reactions to Jordan Brand's other Reimagined shoes, like the Jordan 1 "Royal," there's never been a slowdown in sales. Expect other iterations, like the Air Jordan 4 "Bred," to keep pace.
"I will never understand why some people would actually buy new shoes that look old and beat up," one Instagram commenter said. "This reimagined BS is getting old," another concurred.
However, some sneakerheads are just happy to see the Black Toe return in any form.
"This shoe alone saves the 2024 lineup," said one comment with over 300 "likes."
Even if OG Air Jordans remain the ultimate holy grail, these updates are a reasonable consolation prize for more casual AJ1 fans.
The “Lost & Founds” were a cool take on the original Air Jordan 1 albeit that lightly reinvented the sneaker wheel. It's not like Nike hasn't faithfully reproduced iterations of the sneaker before, like with the faithful 2015 retro and 2021's Trophy Room collaboration.
But the Reimagined line is living up to its name with actual newness and the 2024 AJ1 Black Toe is a worthy evolution of the colorway. Set your alarms for next November, as it's expected to release close to Holiday 2024.
