The Imperfect Perfection of a "Rare" Jordan Sneaker
Nike already resurrected the first (and controversial) Air Jordan 1 sneaker for the model's 40th birthday. Now, the sportswear giant is going back even further to the shoe's early design stages. For those who have ever wondered about all of the AJ1 samples that didn't make the cut, the latest and greatest Jordan 1 drop (kind of) offers a taste of some of those early designs.
Basically, Nike's new Jordan 1 sneaker marries the "flaws" found on those thrown-away pairs, resulting in this perfectly imperfect version of the classic sneaker. Even better, a Rare Air Jordan 1, as Nike calls it.
This particular Jordan 1 shoe comes wrapped up in plenty of "rare" details, from rub-off Swooshes to a Nike Air iteration of the Air Jordan Wings logo. Oh, and the sneaker's inner collar comes Wings-free, unlike most Jordan 1s which are branded on both sides.
On top of the clever misplacements, the Jordan 1 "Deep Royal Blue" offers up premium leather uppers, splashed in rich blue and crisp white colors. However, the rest of the finishes are very much old-school.
The Jordan 1 Rare Air sneaker is complete with a yellowed sole and mismatched, vintage-style shoebox, nodding not only to the shoe's timeless presence but all of those discarded concepts Nike went through before landing on the golden AJ1 we know and love today.
And good news for Jordan fans! There's not just one "Rare Air" Jordan 1 sneaker but two. Nike will also release a "Cinnabar" version with a similar worn-in look and hairy suede details. It also features double shoelaces, like sacai's Nike collabs.
What's more, Nike is also expected to drop a Rare Air Jordan 3 and Jordan 4 this year, too. But for now, Nike's serving up its flawed and flawless Jordan 1s.
Both Air Jordan 1 Rare Air sneakers will drop on April 5 on Nike's SNKRS app.
