Air Jordans: The Must Have American Accessory

Photo by kanyetothe.com

Your favorite rapper has a pair of Air Jordans. So does your favorite athlete. You may have also seen them on your favorite singer, when she decides to take off her five-inch heels, and sport her J's instead.  If you are under the age of thirty, you may have seen your first pair of Jordans on your favorite cousin, who taught you how to wear and take care of them. 

Michael Jordan Slam Dunk Contest 1988 Photo by Cliff1066

The Air Jordan sneakers are the most coveted accessory, worn by fashion tastemakers of every economic background. Since their first release in 1985, the shoe named after one of the most influential athletes of our time, Michael Jordan, has been a staple in American fashion for the past 26 years. How is it that a shoe named after an athlete outlast even the most couture fashion brands? Does Todd Oldham ring a bell?

In 1985 Michael Jordan was playing with the Chicago Bulls.  Because of the MVP's  twenty-years with the NBA, Jordan has been revered as the best basketball player of our time. His shine and outstanding talent landed him one of the most successful athletes endorsements to date. 

Before the Air Jordans,  basketball shoes were white. When the Air Jordan 1's were first released it costed a mere $65, and hailed as a "a breakthrough in basketball shoe design and colorways." The shoe was banned from the NBA, but Michael Jordan still wore them and was fined $5,000 a game because the sneaker's color was too vibrant for shoe regulations.

Air Jordans were not always so exclusive and fascinating, in fact, the shoes sold poorly until the 1990s.  They could be seen on all over the country. Then came Air Jordan III designer Tinker Hatfield, along with Michael Jordan winning his first Slam Dunk Title.  The price of Air Jordans went from $65 to over $300. This is when the brand became both exclusive and in demand.  Once the shoes started to become "retroed" and older styles were re-released, fans were praying that they see a pair of Air Jordans on a discount rack. 

Sportie LA Photo by Author

Eli Amazaleg, owner of shoe store Sportie LA in Los Angeles, has been in the business for twenty-five years and has seen the evolution of the Air Jordan  franchise. "The shoe became popular because of Michael Jordan. Once the Air Jordans started to be retroed, sneaker collectors from Asia and Europe were searching for the the Air Jordan 1's and 2's.  Now Retros are selling better than the newer Jordan styles. Parents often come into my store and buy a pair of Jordans for their children. So that they can match." 

Fast forward to today and twenty years after. From teenagers to thirty-year olds just making it past their quarter life crisis, can be seen trolling around ebay. Although, many teenagers are too young to have seen Michael Jordan play basketball, they have the distinct awareness that Air Jordans are special. The older fans just want to relive their childhood, and buy the sneakers that they couldn't afford when they were kids.  

Theater Director Kevin Correa, and self-proclaimed "sneaker freak," explains the phenomenon of grown folks reliving the 90's. "People who were rocking J’s in the 80's are people who had money. If you missed out on them when they were first released,  then the style would move in on the new models.  I never really grew up with this shit. I never had these shoes till after high school because I couldn’t afford it. In the 90's I was working at Sizzler for $4.25 an hour. To buy sneakers was 2 weeks of pay hours. It’s like Peter Pan and not really growing up.  Now I have money and can afford this." 

Photo from http://finnroantree.blogspot.com/

Spike Lee,  along with other talented and influential artists have made the brand represent art. People connect their Air Jordans to the 90's,  the Rennaisance Era in Hip Hop.  The Air Jordans have become more than an athletic brand, it's become a statement in belief and artistic expression. 


"For a long time they represented the pinnicle of street fashion," says Video Game consultant/Writer Evan Shamoon, who grew up in New York City during the rise of Air Jordans.  "They were always the most coveted sneaker around, and all parts of fashion came from street fashion."  


Shamoon currently owns three pairs of Jordans, and if there is any doubt of his love for them, he tells me this, " In the 90's I was the biggest Knicks fan in the world,  and despite the fact that I hated Michael Jordan, I was still a whore for Air Jordans. The fact that I still wanted his shoes was amazing. That’s the power of branding."


Both men and women love the brand.  Joy Green, a Sportie LA sales representative, only owns one pair of sneakers, and those sneakers are of course Air Jordans.  "It changed the way people look at tennis shoes "It was a way be creative about your fashion."


With a limited release quantity for a short amount of time, the Air Jordan Retros continue to be the must have fashion accessory of today.  Whether is represents status, nostalgia, Hip Hop, or even the best basketball player who ever lived,  the shoes connect  with people in a way that is beyond material.  It's a brand that has a way of attracting  people's  memories and desires.  At some point, people may fall out of love with the 90's and the era it represents, but until then the demand for them has yet to halt.