The sneaker world celebrated an important milestone on Tuesday, as April 1 marked the 40th anniversary of the iconic Air Jordan 1.
40 years ago, the iconic Air Jordan 1s were released for $65. pic.twitter.com/I3gZxj8miW
— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) April 1, 2025
The Air Jordan 1 has been worn by basketball players, skateboarders, baseball players, movie stars and everyday citizens on an almost daily basis for nearly half a century. It’s fair to argue that the Air Jordan 1 created modern sneaker culture as we know it. Sure there were some signature sneakers before the Air Jordan, such as the Puma Clyde, but never was it quite as big a part of culture at large until Michael Jordan signed with Nike in 1984 and got his own sneaker line. Without the Air Jordan 1, we never would have gotten classics from not only the Air Jordan line, but also the Air Penny line, the Kobe line, the LeBron line or from other brands, such as Shaq’s Reeboks or Anthony Edwards’ AE 1s. We also might not have hyped drops the drive sneakerheads to camp out for a product some consider a mere utility to be replaced only when its predecessor literally falls apart. It’s safe to safe the Air Jordan 1 helped create a multi-billion dollar industry that is still rolling along strong to this day.
As seen in the movie Air, the Air Jordan 1 was different than other sneakers. It was designed with Jordan in mind and the thought that the shoe was just a shoe until MJ stepped into it.
It was also a turning point in sneaker marketing, with Nike turning a potential disaster into a golden opportunity. When the NBA initially banned the Air Ship, and contrary to popular belief not the Air Jordan 1, because it did not meet the league’s uniform rules, Nike spun it into a counterculture campaign saying that the NBA can try to keep the revolutionary shoe off the court, but they can’t stop you from buying it. Nothing appeals to Americans more than the opportunity to defy someone telling us what to do. Nike tapped into this and created an iconic marketing campaign.
The Air Jordan 1, boosted by the notion of being forbidden fruit, became an instant hit. Nike sold over 4 million pairs in its first year and the shoe was released in multiple colorways and multiple configurations, including a low cut and the Air Jordan 1 AJKO, which was made of canvas and had the sole of Nike Vandal. Then the Air Jordan 1 found a new audience in the skateboarders who picked up the shoe once it was discounted.
Not only were they groundbreaking in 1984, but the Air Jordan 1 remains relevant today. Go anywhere in the world and you’re likely to see at least one pair of Air Jordan 1s. As I wrote a couple of years back, the Air Jordan 1 is, to many, the perfect sneaker: Classic, looks good in almost any color combination and goes with almost any look. It remains a timeless icon, just like the man himself. Every year dozens of colorways release in the Highs, the Mids, the Lows and even the 85s, not to mention the collabs such as the Off-Whites or the Travis Scotts. They look good brand new out of the box or cooked after hundreds of wearings. Even if MJ himself did not originally love the design, as he pointed out to late-night legend David Letterman back in the day.
Nike and Jordan Brand might have flooded the market a bit in the pandemic era, leading to a bit of Jordan 1 fatigue, but even if the Air Jordan 1 is on a bit of a downswing right now there’s no doubt that eventually it will rise again. It’s the modern Chuck Taylor, a shoe that generations have grown up wearing but still looks like it belongs in any era. It’s really a chameleon. I’m actually OK with the shoe falling out of favorite with the larger public at the moment — it just leaves more for those of us who love it for what it means in the history of basketball and sneaker culture. It doesn’t have to be the “it” shoe for some sneakerheads to love it and as if Jordan Brand plays their cards right they can once again turn a difficult moment into a golden opportunity. Nike CEO Elliott Hill reportedly has planned for the brand to pull back on sneakers it may have oversaturated the market with, namely the Air Jordan 1, Air Force 1 and the Dunk. If Jordan Brand can take this opportunity to get back to basics, focus on classic colorways and high quality and build like it did on the phenomenal Air Jordan 1 High ’85 Breds, which released last month, the Jordan 1 could be right back atop the sneaker mountain. Absence does make the heart grow fonder.
After all, it’s gotta be the shoes, money.
To see more of this month’s releases, check out our release date calendar.
