While the same can’t be said for many of us, the Nike Air Jordan 1 has had a year to remember in 2020. The silhouette has been in the spotlight and a go-to for collaborations since Virgil’s original Off-White™ x Nike Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” in 2017, and the style hit new heights this year thanks to sought-after collaborations and great general release colorways.
When it comes to the best Air Jordan 1s of 2020, the wild price point and exclusivity of the Dior x Nike Air Jordan 1 make it stand out as one of the year’s obvious winners. Still, there’s a strong case to be made for Nike’s own, in-house releases.
There are a lot of general releases to choose from, ranging from the Air Jordan 1 CO.JP "Tokyo" and "Midnight Navy" to the future classic Air Jordan 1 "Dark Mocha."
Partnering with GOAT, we’ve taken a trip through the past 12 months in order to pick out the best Air Jordan 1 iterations of 2020. Keep scrolling to explore the year’s silver lining in full.
Shop 7 of our favorite Jordan 1s of 2020 below.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG co.JP "Tokyo"
Originally released as a Japan-exclusive in 2001 and limited to just 2001 pairs, the Air Jordan 1 CO.JP "Tokyo" is by far one of the most stylish reissues of 2020. Nike’s CO.JP initiative has brought back some of the best Japan-exclusive silhouettes, allowing sneakerheads another crack at pairs they had no chance of copping originally. This pair features the same grey nubuck upper with metallic hits to the toe box, collar, and Swoosh. On the inside of the tongue you’ll find the years 2001 and 2020.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Dark Mocha"
Travis Scott’s reverse-swoosh Air Jordan 1 took the industry by storm in 2019 and continues to be one of the most sought-after drops. This year, though, the Air Jordan 1 High OG "Dark Mocha" offers sneakerheads a similar palette to La Flame’s collaboration – at a fraction of the price.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High co.JP "Midnight Navy" 2020
Another pair released as part of Nike’s CO.JP efforts, this 2020 reissue of the Air Jordan 1 High "Midnight Navy" also saw 3000 pairs launch exclusively in Japan. Alongside the Air Jordan 1 "Tokyo", this pair was one of the first times that non-OG colors featured on the high-top. Connoisseurs will love the nubuck overlays as well as details such as the grained leather Swoosh and jeweled Wings logo on the collar.
Nike Dior x Air Jordan 1 High
Whatever your feelings on luxury brands and sportswear companies collaborating, you have to admit that the Air Dior is iconic. Italian leather uppers make way for the star of the show in the Dior-embellished woven Swoosh.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Court Purple 2.0"
The Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Court Purple 2.0" follows a similar design pattern to the legendary Air Jordan 1 "Chicago" but replaces red overlays with dark Court Purple. That shade graced the same silhouette, albeit with different color blocking, in 2018. If you missed out the first time around, this pair might be for you.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Low "UNC"
Michael Jordan's alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, became the subject of one of the year's most memorable colorways in the Nike Air Jordan 1 Low "UNC". While it's not the first time we've seen Carolina blue dressing a Jordan 1, this low-top has serious OG appeal.
Nike Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG "Lucky Green"
Celtics fans look away now. The Nike Air Jordan 1 High OG "Lucky Green" commemorates Michael Jordan’s highlight 63-point game at the old Boston Garden. Lucky Green overlays to the upper feature raw edges for a textural finish, which we like to imagine represents the savage manner with which the GOAT treated the Celtics.
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