SoleSync - History of Jordan

History of Jordan
October 27, 2009 | Ryan Kohl

It all started almost 30 years ago, Nike was having difficulty in the shoe business. Often, having huge blow outs to fuel their sales; but this was not enough, Nike wanted to get their name heard. Around the same time, Michael Jordan was just beginning his career. Jordan was already endorsed by other companies and often preferred Adidas or Converse over any other shoe. Nike, wanting Jordan to help promote sales, was ready to offer a better deal than any other company. Jordan did not see the importance of Nike's offer at first, but his agent saw it as an immense opportunity to create a new line of shoes called "Air Jordan."
When Michael Jordan saw the the first sketches of his apparel and shoes he was to have said, "I can't wear that shoe, those are the devil colors." The head designer, Peter Moore presented the ideas of the Air Jordan I, jumpsuits, and other sports apparel in all black and red. Following, Michael Jordan accepted the offer and thus the Air Jordan legacy was born. Jordan signed to a $2.5 million deal for five years.
The first Jordan logo was a basketball with wings and was designed by Peter Moore. This logo was included on the first two Air Jordan shoes. Later as the shoes became more poplar, the logo was changed to the modern day Jumpman.
The introduction of the Air Jordan I changed the sport shoe industry as we know it. Most basketball shoes white or light gray at the time, but Jordan's first shoe was red and black. This stirred up much controversy. The NBA later banned the shoe as a result, but Michael Jordan wore them anyway. At times, Jordan would be fined up to $5000 a game, but because of all the hype, Nike was more than willing to pay these fines to keep the shoes on his feet where every one could see them.
In 1996, Michael Jordan stared in the movie Space Jam. For the movie, the Air Jordan XI was produced, and rumor once had it that six original pairs were also produced after the movie due to the demand.
In 1997, the Air Jordan shoes were still a part of Nike. That year, Nike opened up a new market plan for the Air Jordans, also known as Jordan Brand. This change was introduced along with the release of the Air Jordan XIII, Air Jordan Team, and Air Jordan Trainers. From then on, Jordan Brand was only known as a sub-brand of Nike and no longer featured the Nike name or logo on the shoes.
Even today, the hype for these shoes are tremendous, just as they were when they were introduced in 1985. The Jordan Brand is now a household name and people everywhere could identify it. People of all ages, sneakerheads, and Jordan fanatics line up everywhere eagerly for the release of the new model. Many of the shoes have been designed after Jordan's life, cars, and hobbies. Some wonder when the Jordan line will retire, but as of now, the future of quality and high performance shoes still has a long life to live.