25 and running

Anybody familiar with the competitive nature of the man who came back from retirement three times will not be the least bit surprised that Michael Jordan refused to put his shoe line on the shelf just because it reached a certain milestone. 

 

When the 23rd version of the world’s most famous basketball shoe named after the world’s most famous basketball player was released, many thought this could be it for the iconic brand. But the man who wore jersey number 23 for his whole career (we choose to ignore the 45 jersey era in 1994) decided to continue being one of the highest earning athletes – even half a decade after his retirement – by releasing more sneakers. In early 2009 he released the atrociously ugly Air Jordan 2009, and thankfully only 2,009 of the Chinese imitations were actually made. In the brand’s 25th anniversary this year, Air Jordan returns with an annual campaign that celebrates the iconic Jump Man brand. 

 

The over-layer that completes the overall look serves also as extra protection, without adding any stiffness, since it’s hinged just around the edges.

 

The first layer in the shoe sole is an air bag that strikes the floor before the foot and disperses the load immediately – a technology adapted from running shoes.

 

In what became a staple of the identity, the new Jordans try to mix design cues from the retro models with new ones that give the XXV its own identity. 

 

The inner lining and cushioning of the XXV was specially designed to be as tight as possible against the foot for ultimate comfort and injury prevention. 

 

While it appeared as a transparent plastic material in early photos, some sneak shots show it to be opaque with a new logo that manages to look like a 25 on one side and a Jump Man logo on the other. 

 

Active endorser 

Michael Jordan decides to share the spotlight with another player for the first time ever by adding Miami Heat’s Dwayne Wade (formerly endorsing Converse) as the face of XXV.