The Jordan 1 has been one of the most iconic models that Nike has released ever since. Popularized by Michael Jordan himself, many people wanted to get their hands on the shoe due to their desires to play and jump as high as the Chicago Bulls legend. However, J1s found itself going beyond the hardwood as the sneaker quickly became a part of American pop culture and a celebrated piece in streetwear today.
Since its release in April 1985, the Jordan 1 model has stood the test of time as it still remains to be a highly coveted shoe many decades later. In an interview with Dillon, the owner of a newly-opened sneaker store in San Diego named Off The Bench, he thinks that Nike has been mixing it up too much that it lessens the appreciation that people have for the model.
“I don’t think it’s dying, I really like what Nike has done with the Colorways and stuff like that and I just think they’re playing with it too much, because now every week and every few days you’ll see a new Jordan 1 made collaboration or colorway and they look awesome. But I think they’ve just made too many Jordan 1s.”
For him, it would be better for popular shoes like the Jordan 1s to be left untouched for a while in order to preserve their value, similar to how it was being done before.
“Like when I go back when I first started on Jordan 1s, Jordan 1 Highs is like a hot commodity like once a month or once every other month like something you kinda look forward to. Now you see a Jordan 1 like all the time and I like it to go back to that way so people kinda appreciate colorways more if you know what I mean,” he said.
Certainly enough, Jordan 1s will always be remembered for its famed Chicago, UNC, and Royal Blue colorways. However, as Dillion mentioned, the brand eventually rolled the sneaker in newer color combinations like the Retro Japan Pack, XQ, Hare, and Shattered Backboard.
The J1 model was also released in limited edition collaborations with labels like Off-White, Levi’s, Fragment, and Quai 54. Partnerships with popular icons such as skateboarder Lance Mountain, stylist Aleali May, and rapper Travis Scott also graced the famed Jordan silhouette in recent years.
Whether or not it was done intentionally, Nike probably did it in order to provide more variety and be able to cater to the younger generation by mixing more color schemes. Though not everyone may appreciate it, there is no doubt that the Jordan 1s still remains to be an iconic piece in the sneaker and streetwear scene today.