Since Jordan Brand brought back the “OG” style of the Air Jordan 1 High during 2013’s NBA All-Star Week we’ve seen the timeless classic pop-up with great frequency. Back in Feb ’13 we were blessed with Banned and Royal Air Jordan 1 OG Highs, and the community was beyond stoked. The simple heel Jumpman seen on OG Jordan 1 colorways pre-2013 might not have seemed like a big deal to causal fans, but old heads never liked them (as a whole); so JB’s commitment to dropping Air Jordan 1s in their original 1985 form rocked.
Fast forward to 2019 and we’ve now seen almost 20 OG style Air Jordan 1 High retros release. Most of the original 1985-86 colorways have returned except the Neutral Grey, Metallic Green, and Metallic Blue pairs. Air Jordan fans of all ages have now had a chance to own classic pieces of sport (and footwear) history and that’s a beautiful thing.
Many fresh new colorways of the Air Jordan 1 OG High have hit the shelves in recent years resulting in a true revival of the silhouette. Lets take a look back at our top-5 favorite new colorways of Michael’s iconic kicks. We won’t be including collaborative pairs like the Union or Off-White joints, and each pair had to be general release to qualify. Let us know your favorite pair of new hotness!
5. Turbo Green; 2019
The Turbo Green joints released this past Friday and quickly sold out (people didn’t think they’d be so limited). Jordan 1 fans can be high-key obsessed with traditionalism so the TG’s lack of traditional materials might turn some off; but others (like myself) love the aged nubuck look throughout the upper. It’s nice how Jordan Brand didn’t jam the shoe’s Charlotte Hornets theme down our collective throats. Instead they let the history of MJ at the 1991 All-Star Game in Charlotte subtly do the talking in a way that ‘lightly’ pays homage to the weekend.
4. Chameleon; 2017
Another All-Star Weekend Jordan 1 OG High! The Chameleon pair from ’17 kept it classic and new age at the same time. Metallic, chameleon-like, hues on the toe and ankle change color in light from green to purple to blue(ish). Metal aglets and a translucent outsole add to this pair’s futuristic look.
3. Shattered Backboard; 2015
Wait, what? The Shattered Backboard colorways lands at third – are we on drugs?
We love the SBs… don’t get it twisted, but they were crazy hard to get (hence the resell value) so their lack of availability drops them a few spots. The Air Jordan 1 OG High game has been so hot that we had to think of way to not put these on the top of our list. The shoe plays on a mix of the Banned and Chicago 1s resulting in orange on the toe box, ankle and heel (much like two thirds of our list). For those of you that don’t know the SB story, MJ broke a backboard while wearing an orange uniform in an Italian exhibition game back in 1986. The leather on these are on point and the color-scheme is flawless – pure perfection.
2. Bred Toe; 2018
In all honesty when the Bred Toe 1s dropped I didn’t think they were a necessity… I was wrong. At first it didn’t feel like the Banned 1s could be improved upon – there wasn’t a point in messing with another red, black and white Jordan 1. Again, I was wrong, very wrong.
From the side the BTs look like Chicago 1s and from a on-foot point-of-view they look like Banned 1s, it’s a truly magical thing. The leather was quality yet again and the execution was flawless. The SNKRS App Gawds shinned upon me on February 24, 2018 and I’ve been eternally thankful ever since because they’re such a fun and versatile wear!
Top-3; 2016
Drake’s all about that top-5 (top-5), but we’re about them Top-3s! In a sneaker world full of mashups the Top-3 Air Jordan 1s stand in class of their own. The possibility of feeling gimmicky was high for this pair but Jordan Brand hit an authentic home run. Inspiration was simple: mix the Jordan 1’s top-3 colorways (Banned, Chicago and Royal), duh. They’re such a breath of fresh air in a sneaker world that can feel extremely stagnant. Give these a badge for being certified neck snappers because with each step onlookers get a different visual experience. Who knew looking so different could look so normal?
