The A Ma Maniére Air Jordan 1 Is Nike’s Fine Wine
Brand: A Ma Maniére x Jordan Brand
Model: Air Jordan 1
Release Date: November 24 11 a.m EST
Price: $200
Editor's Notes: Between Michael Jordans on-court legacy and the intimate memories associated with the sneaker silhouettes and colorways he wore at historic moments in his career, it's hard for new Jordan Brand colorways to steal the spotlight away from retros.
Collaborations can be particularly divisive amongst diehard fans, but let's be real – the A Ma Maniére’s “Raised by Women” Air Jordan 3 collaboration is a banger. With its aged-looking leather, the worn-in-looking suede, and beautiful color palette, the AJ3 had never looked so good.
Similarly, the Atlanta-based boutique brings a tasteful luxury to Jordan Brand with another classy remake of a classic silhouette. Here, the Air Jordan 1 borrows elements of luxury that exist within A Ma Maniére’s stores, yielding a fine vintage aesthetic akin to the AJ3.
In short, if Nike made fine wines, they'd probably look a lot like this.
The same design language used on the AJ3 has been adopted for the 1, crafting the sneaker's upper using a sail cracked leather, with hits of burgundy featuring on the ankle collar, liner, and medial and lateral textured Swooshes. A Ma Maniére provides the finishing touches with a co-branded tongue label, a specially designed box, and a leather rendition of the iconic Jordan hangtag.
As has been the case with all of James Whitner’s previous collaborative projects, the Nike Air Jordan 1 “Airness” tells an important story. It is inspired by the Black community’s pride, power, influence, and resilience in the face of constant adversity, exploitation, and injustice. The sneaker serves to uplift and celebrate the Black community, while also acknowledging the systems that plague its progress.
About this latest collaboration, Whitner says: “In the world of sneakers and fashion, holding up the mirror shouldn’t always just reveal what you want to see but perhaps what you should see. We have the responsibility to show the realities of our community's experiences and continue the difficult conversations that make us all better. These realities are felt daily and in real time by Black communities - not just when they’re in the news cycle. We have to show both sides - if we don’t, we’re not doing our job and being of service to the culture and industry. We have to face these issues and open the dialogue when no-one wants to.”
The video below, narrated by Larry Miller, provides powerful context and storytelling around the collaboration. Once again, Whitner and his team provide an example on how to connect product and purpose.
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