The Best Jordan Colorways of All Time
Air Jordans have featured on our blog a host of times and you can see why – the popularity of Jordans (which boomed over the lockdown caused by COVID-19) looks like it won’t be slowing down any time soon. Therefore, today I bring to you a compilation of the 10 best colourways released by Jordan brand. As always, these colourways cater to my preference in shoes but I’ve tried to be a bit out there with this one and climb out the comfort zone of black and white shoes. The shoes listed below are in no particular order. Please have a read through and share this blog if you think it’s worthwhile (it helps us out a lot!) and let us know if there are any colour ways on here that you think we’ve missed.
Air Jordan 1 Chicago
To start it off, I’ve gone for the Air Jordan 1 Chicago – undoubtedly, the Air Jordan 1 Chicago is the most iconic colourway in this list. The red, black and white which feature on the shoe are instantly recognisable from a mile away and personally, this is my favourite colourway of all time. The shoe has been released a heap of times – originally in 1985 but followed up with rereleases in 1994, 2013 and 2015. Despite the Air Jordan 1 Chicago being released 4 times, it is still a collectors dream – prices continue to soar on reselling websites like StockX and GOAT but I do hope that another rerelease happens soon so I can grab a pair for myself. The popularity of this colourway can be traced back to MJ’s opening game but the popularity of this shoe went to a whole new level with the release of the Last Dance documentary on Netflix. The Last Dance was able to preach how great Micheal truly was, and it reached a whole new generation who had never witnessed MJ touch a basketball before. I think the release of Last Dance got people into MJ and his signature line of shoes, and that is why the Air Jordan 1 Chicago reached new levels of popularity after 19 April 2020 (Last Dance release date).
Jordan 4 'Bred' Black Cement
The next is the Jordan 4 ‘Bred’ Black Cement – now this colourway is truly a classic. The use of black (predominantly) on the upper and grey, red and white on the rest of the shoe makes the Jordan 4 ‘Bred’ Black Cement an everlasting shoe. I say everlasting instead of iconic or classic because that’s what the Bred’s are – everlasting. The use of dark tones on the upper and contrasting outsoles make the colourway perfect for any generation because frankly – what doesn’t black go with? I think that the versatility of the Jordan 4 ‘Bred’ Black Cement also plays a role in its popularity. Originally released in 1989 and then again in 1999, 2008, 2012 and 2019 – the amount of rereleases of this colourway truly showcases the popularity of this colourway.
Jordan 3 Black Cement
The next on this list of the 10 best colourways is the Jordan 3 Black Cement. The OG version of the Jordan 3 Black Cement feature a black-based leather upper with cement grey, fire read and white accents, finished off with the iconic elephant print adorning the front and rear of the sneaker. I think that the black cements are a pair that every sneakerhead should have – they serve as one of the more simple colourways released by Jordan but sometimes, simple is best. They were originally released in 1988 and then again in 1994, 2001, 2008, 2011 and 2018 – the 2001 release is particularly special as it was the last time the ‘Nike Air’ branding was used on the back of the Black Cement 3’s before it was featured again on the 2018 version of the shoe. Fun fact – the 2018 release was on MJ’s birthday so why not celebrate it by copping a pair of these iconic kicks for yourself.
Jordan 11 Concord
The next on this list is one of the best colourways (in my opinion) in Jordan Brand’s vast repertoire -the Jordan 11 Concord. What is really special about these shoes is that they marked the return of MJ back onto the court. Those who have watched the Last Dance or were there for the time (sadly, I wasn’t) know how truly iconic this time was. For those of you wondering, that is the reason that there is a 45 on the back of the original release of the Jordan 11 Concord (and not the usual 23). In 1995 (which was the original year of its release), the newly debuting silhouette was a smash hit. The patent leather upper and translucent sole was an instant hit with crowds and this is the reason that the Jordan 11 Concord is on this list. The Jordan 11 Concord was rereleased in 2006, 2011 and 2018 (2018 was truly a great year for fans of Jordan Brand).
Jordan 6 Black Infrared
The next shoe on this list is the Jordan 6 Black infrared – the simple black nubuck upper when paired with the bright red neon accents and icy clear outsole (in parts) make the Jordan 6 infrared one of the most desirable colourways. The 2019 release of the Jordan 6 infrared brought back the ‘Nike Air’ branding on the back of the shoe (wasn’t present for any releases before that apart from the original 1991 release) and this instantly made this Jordan one of the biggest shoes of 2019. Released during NBA All-Star weekend in 2019, the Jordan 6 Infrared sold out within seconds and (guess what!) resale prices shot through the roof. Some describe the Jordan 6 Infrared as the ultimate Air Jordan sneaker and it’s hard to disagree with them.
Air Jordan 1 Retro Shattered Backboard
One of the newer releases on this list is the Air Jordan 1 Retro Shattered Backboard (the original one). The name for these Jordan’s comes from a time when MJ shattered a backboard in an Italian exhibition game in 1985. The game was Stefanel Trieste against Juve Caserta – MJ rocked the black, white and orange jersey of Stefanel Trieste. As always, MJ put on a show – he bagged 30 points but what inspired this shoe was the dunk which was powerful enough to break the backboard. The insole of this shoe features an image of the shattered backboard, paying homage to the highlight created by MJ in the summer of ’85. The interesting colourway paired with the story of these Jordan’s made them extremely desirable – they sold out within seconds of going on sale. Now, resell prices are well over $1000 for this pair of Jordan 1’s.
Jordan 4 Black Cat
One of my personal favourites on this list is the Jordan 4 Black Cats – they feature a black and light graphite colour scheme and the name of this shoe (Black Cat) is a nickname that was used for Mike himself. The Jordan 4 Retro Black Cat was originally released in 2006 but a rerelease came in 2020. The first version was released in spring of 2006 and was lauded as one of the greatest non original colourways of the Jordan 4. The upper of the Jordan 4 Black Cat features a matte black nubuck finish and the netting of the shoe found in the mid panel adds to the stealthy appearance of the shoe. The Jumpman & flight logos of the shoe are in a light grey which add subtle contrasting to the shoe. The simple colourway is one of the best in my books.
Air Jordan 1 Retro Royal
Next on this list is what is regarded as MJ’s favourite sneaker – the Air Jordan 1 Retro Royal. These shoes were first photographed by Chuck Kohn in 1985 and just the image of Micheal Jordan wearing these shoes was an instant classic. These shoes actually never featured on the basketball court but they still flourished in terms of sales. The Air Jordan 1 Retro Royal was released 4 times in total (1985, 2001, 2013 and 2017), which cements its place as one of the most iconic colourways released by Jordan brand.
Jordan 6 Retro DMP
Another newer release (2006) that features on this list is the Jordan 6 Retro DMP. The Air Jordan 6 DMP was released again in 2020 and was very similar to the original ‘Defining Moments Pack’ that was released by Jordan brand in 2006. The original DMP pack featured an Air Jordan 6 and Air Jordan 11 – the pack was released in honour and in celebration of MJ’s first NBA championship. The Air Jordan 6 was the better of the two (in my opinion) and features a black nubuck upper with a gold Jumpman on the tongue. The gold continues to the midsole which some say provides a sense of royalty to the Air Jordan 6 DMP and I agree. Jordan brand decided to rerelease the Jordan 6 DMP in Winter 2020 – it is one of the cheaper sneakers on this list and it is definitely one of my favourites.
Air Jordan 1 Travis Scott
The shoe to close out this list is the Air Jordan 1 Travis Scott collaboration. One of the newer and more unique releases on this list, the Air Jordan 1 is an instant classic in my eyes. This colourway features an oversized backwards Swoosh on the lateral side of the shoe which was a first for the legendary silhouette of the J1. This colourway features Sail leather and Dark Mocha nubuck with black accents – it also features a hidden stash pocket for things you don’t want everyone to see. The Travis Scott Air Jordan 1 had a special release at the 2019 Grammys (on 10 February 2019) and a wider release on 26 April 2019 but not many were released- this is why resell prices soared over $5000 at one point in time. The Travis Scott collaboration saw Jordan Brand allow someone to change the iconic silhouette of the J1 but I’m all for it.