I
RELEASED: 1985 /
DESIGNER: Peter Moore /
NOTEWORTHY: The black/red “bred” colorway was infamously banned by the NBA for not being “predominantly white” to match team uniform rules. /
II
RELEASED: 1986 /
DESIGNER: Bruce Kilgore, Peter Moore /
NOTEWORTHY: The II elevated the trajectory of the Jordan Brand with its use of premium leather, removal of the Swoosh, the fact that it was handcrafted in Italy & its availability was limited to only 30 stores in 19 cities. /
III
RELEASED: 1988 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The III replaced the Wings logo for the now iconic Jumpman icon, made the Nike Air unit visible & introduced the famed elephant print. /
IV
RELEASED: 1989 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The IV carried the mid-cut height and other details over from the III, but its lace locks, mesh net underlays, and enlarged tongue logo makes it one of the most beloved Jordans in the entire collection. Whatever you do, just don’t scuff’em. /
V
RELEASED: 1990 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The V was inspired by WWII-era fighter jets that attacked through the air. The oversized reflective 3M material on the tongue was added for when the photographer’s bulbs flashed every time he had the ball. The clear rubber outsole, asymmetrical ankle support, and lace locks were all firsts for the time. /
VI
RELEASED: 1991 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The VI was worn when Michael won his first NBA championship. Enough said. /
VII
RELEASED: 1992 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The VII was worn by Michael as a member of the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympic Games. It was initially inspired by West African art and tribal patterns seen on an Afropop music poster and featured the “Huarache” neoprene inner-bootie fit technology. /
VIII
RELEASED: 1993 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The VIII did not have any Nike branding, setting Jordan Brand officially on its own trailblazing course. It continued the Huarache inner sleeve but added a polycarbonate torsion plate and cross straps for an extra secure fit. /
IX
RELEASED: 1994 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The IX was never worn by Michael on the hardwood. Instead, they had to add cleats so His Airness could wear them on the diamond during his first retirement at the age of 30 when he took his swings in the minors. /
X
RELEASED: 1995 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The X was worn by Michael when he came back wearing the 4-5. The minimal upper is upstaged by the meaningful outsole that features MJ’s career highlights from ‘85-‘94, which most believed would be the end of his hoop career. /
XI
RELEASED: 1996 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XI quickly became one of the most iconic and sought-over designs of the lineage. The tuxedo-inspired patent leather may be the literal highlight of the shoe, but its total upper fit, Phylon midsole, full-length Air-Sole unit, and full-length carbon fiber plate with the icy rubber outsole take it to the next galaxy, i.e. Space Jam. /
XII
RELEASED: 1997 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XII drew its inspiration from the Japanese “Rising Sun” flag. On the tech side, it continued the Phylon mid and carbon fiber shank from the XI, but this time debuted the full-length Zoom Air unit. In ‘97, the Jordan Brand officially branched off from Nike to become its own brand, paving the way for the occasional sibling rivalry and internal competition on the hardwood. /
XIII
RELEASED: 1998 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XIII was inspired by MJ’s nickname, the Black Cat. The notable hologram on the lateral quarters is reminiscent of a panther’s eye with a responsive Phylon midsole like the pads of its paws. /
XIV
RELEASED: 1999 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XIV was the last pair Jordan wore in a Bulls uniform when he hit “The Shot.” The Ferrari F355F1 was a strong visual influence on it & set the stage for the next several iterations of the signature series following MJ’s second retirement. /
XV
RELEASED: 1999 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XV pushed the possibility of footwear design toward sculpture art. Inspired by NASA’s X-15 hypersonic jet plane, the XV featured a Kevlar mesh woven upper, dynamic fit inner bootie, and an exaggerated tongue, even if Jordan wasn’t on the court anymore with his tongue out. /
XVI
RELEASED: 2001 /
DESIGNER: Wilson Smith /
NOTEWORTHY: The XVI pulled some design cues from previous models, but its removable shroud/gaiter makes it unlike any other, a nod at MJ’s transition from NBA player to team executive. /
XVII
RELEASED: 2002 /
DESIGNER: Wilson Smith /
NOTEWORTHY: The XVII ushered Jordan’s 3rd return to the NBA, this time as a Washington Wizard. It was elevated with sophistication by its jazz-inspired lines, Aston Martin cues, golf course details & the custom-padded briefcase that I remember marveling at as a freshman when an upper-class man carried them into the gym. /
XVIII
RELEASED: 2003 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XVIII was inspired by Formula 1 race cars and premium European driving mocs; the outsole features a full-length Zoom Air unit with a double-stacked heel Zoom bag, quarter air vents, and a carbon fiber Comfort Control Plate. The XVIII was the last, last, last pair MJ ever wore on the court (3rd retirement’s a charm). /
XIX
RELEASED: 2004 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XIX was inspired by the black mamba (pre-Kobe Black Mamba); it features a Tech Flex shroud reminiscent of a fencing mask, patent leather, and a Velcro heel strap built on a Phylon midsole, carbon fiber shank, and full-length Zoom Air unit with a double-stacked heel unit. /
XX
RELEASED: 2005 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XX’s free-floating ankle and large mid-foot straps dominate much of the upper, heel details, and the new laser-etch technology enabled 20+ years of Jordan’s accomplishments and stories to be shared graphically across the shoe. The meaningful details embedded within the Independent Podular Suspension outsole also played a role in commemorating the G.O.A.T.’s 20th signature shoe. /
XXI
RELEASED: 2006 /
DESIGNER: D’Wayne Edwards /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXI is simple, elegant, and luxurious, with design inspiration borrowed from a Bentley. The outsole furthers the I.P.S. (Independent Podular Suspension) system by introducing an interchangeable pod in the heel for your desired Zoom Air cushioning. /
XXII
RELEASED: 2007 /
DESIGNER: D’Wayne Edwards /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXII features titanium on the eyelets, lace lock, and mid-foot shank the streamlined upper design is full of design details inspired by the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, including rear vents, zig-zag stitching, and a camouflage pattern on the heel. /
XXIII
RELEASED: 2008 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXIII features an innovative knitted quarter with a memory foam padded heel combined to create an incredibly comfortable upper built on a TPU heel stabilizer painted with an automotive-like painting process, an outsole unit comprised of grind material reused from manufacturing waste & a full-length Zoom Air bag. /
XXIV
RELEASED: 2009 /
DESIGNER: Jason Mayden /
NOTEWORTHY: The XX4’s diamond-cut design and fencing-like details were inspired by MJ’s defensive ability to attack his opponents. The outsole evolved from the IPS system of recent models to a new Articulated Propulsion Technology (APT) inspired by carbon fiber prosthetics. /
XXV
RELEASED: 2010 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield, Mark Smith /
NOTEWORTHY: The XX5’s upper features a clear TPU circular window built on a translucent outsole that showcases a bottom-loaded full-length Zoom Air unit for a more responsive, closer-to-the-ground on-court feel inspired by #Nike’s running technology. The storytelling details on the midsole quote MJ saying, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed,” accompanied by a Carolina blue foam insole that can be seen through the medial side window — a nod to MJ wearing his UNC shorts underneath his jersey. /
XXVI
RELEASED: 2011 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield, Tom Luedecke /
NOTEWORTHY: The XX6 came with two “Choose Your Flight” insole options: Quick (Zoom Air in the heel & forefoot) or Explosive (3/4 length Zoom Air). /
XXVII
RELEASED: 2012 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield, Tom Luedecke /
NOTEWORTHY: The XX7 took the “Choose Your Flight” concept to a new level with three insole options (Fly Through, Fly Over, and Fly Around) along with two inner bootie sleeves: a normal mid-cut height or an extra high supportive option with a velcro strap. The rest of the shoe featured Flywire support, a Flight Carbon Plate, and a vintage zoot-suit brogue detail on the leather overlays. /
XXVIII
RELEASED: 2013 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield, Josh Heard /
NOTEWORTHY: The XX8 features a stealth-inspired sheath with a hidden Dynamic Fit system that wraps up from the midsole to the hidden laces. Such a dynamic upper deserves an incredibly advanced Flight Plate outsole unit comprised of Zoom Air units in the forefoot and heel placed within the midsole without the need for foam in between to ensure the most responsive cushioning yet. /
XXIX
RELEASED: 2014 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield /
NOTEWORTHY: The XX9 was the world’s first woven basketball shoe and the lightest of the Jordan Brand signature collection, all built on a re-engineered Flight Plate outsole unit with Flight Web mid-foot lockdown system. /
XXX
RELEASED: 2015 /
DESIGNER: Tinker Hatfield, Mark Smith /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXX features a Flyknit woven upper sitting on a FlightSpeed chassis. /
XXXI
RELEASED: 2016 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXXI is the first ever Jordan with the Jumpman, Swoosh, and Wings logos on it. The XXX1 is a modern-day reinterpretation of the original Jordan woven with a Flyweave upper. /
XXXII
RELEASED: 2017 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXX2 is a modern take on the Jordan II thirty years later with a ribbed Flyknit upper on a Zoom Air and FlightSpeed outsole unit. /
XXXIII
RELEASED: 2018 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXX3 was inspired by the exposed utilitarian technology on NASA spacesuits. The XXX3 is the first laceless on-court shoe, utilizing a first-of-it’s-kind FastFit cable system for a customizable lock-down fit. /
XXXIV
RELEASED: 2019 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXX4 was a pursuit of a less is more philosophy. Weighing 13.1 oz., it was the lightest Air Jordan ever. The carved-out midsole and Eclipse Plate provide enhanced cushioning for added explosiveness with a minimal performance woven upper engineered for the most strength at least weight. /
XXXV
RELEASED: 2020 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXXV features the further evolved Eclipse Plate 2.0. The addition of Flightwire in the upper helps usher details pulled from the Air Jordan V into this modernized form. /
XXXVI
RELEASED: 2021 /
DESIGNER: Tate Kuerbis /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXX6 features the Eclipse Plate 3.0 outsole unit supporting a leno-weave upper material developed by Jacqueline Lefferts. Additional details were pulled from the Air Jordan VI and freshly reinterpreted thirty years later. /
XXXVII
RELEASED: 2021 /
DESIGNER: Jordan Brand /
NOTEWORTHY: The XXX7 borrows subtle features of the VII, including its tread pattern, ankle padding, and a Lenoweave material constructed from West African basket weaving techniques supported by an exoskeleton reflected from the VII’s overlays. Its tech includes double-stacked Zoom bags, Zoom strobel liner & carbon fiber shanks to support the midfoot. /