Jordan 11

Air Jordan 11

Back in 1995, Michael Jordan returned to the NBA after almost two years away from basketball. Despite the break, he managed to pull off one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history, all while wearing his groundbreaking new signature sneaker, the Jordan 11. Fusing high-performance elements with a look that worked both on the court and when paired with a tuxedo, this eye-catching shoe was an instant success on its release at the end of 1995. In the decades since, it has gone on to become one of the most beloved of all Air Jordans, with men’s and women’s versions alongside those for kids and even toddler editions.

Many of the Air Jordan 11’s most iconic colourways were created in the years immediately after the original Concord was launched. This first design was named for its purple accents, but the majority of the sneaker is covered in elegant black and white tones, giving it a suave, sophisticated look. The Columbia colourway followed soon after, its retro editions now known as Legend Blue for their appealing use of blue highlights. Next was the Bred, which is sometimes called the Playoffs as it was the shoe Jordan wore during the knockout rounds of the ‘95-’96 season. It brings together the iconic red and black tones of the famous colourway, the latter hue on most of the upper, the former decorating the translucent outsole and the Jumpman emblems on the heel and tongue. Both of these shoes have established themselves as fan favourites for their use of classic Jordan colours, with many retro versions coming out over the years.

Another hugely popular colourway to debut during the Jordan 11’s early years was the Space Jam. The shoe was worn by Jordan during the second part of the 1995 playoff semifinals, but it wasn’t actually released to the public until 2000, by which time its appearance on the court and in the 1996 movie of the same name had sealed its place as one of the all time great AJ11 colourways. The general release of the Space Jam came during a productive period for the Air Jordan 11 as the early 2000s brought a number of designs that are still highly sought-after today. One was a high-top called the Cool Grey, which combines two refined shades of grey across its upper and swaps out its ballistic mesh for plush nubuck. As well as this, a whole range of Jordan 11 Low models were created. There was the Varsity Red, which has since come to be known as the Cherry for its use of this bright red tone, and a version of the Columbia with blue across its patent leather mudguard. Another of these Lows was the Citrus, which was rereleased as the Bright Citrus in 2021, both featuring an all white upper and vibrant orange outsole. There were also two sneakers with faux snakeskin leather on the mudguard which can be seen as the precursor to later models like 2014’s Green Snakeskin, the Pink Snakeskin and Navy Snakeskin colourways, both released in 2019, and 2023’s eye-catching Yellow Snakeskin. Yet another low-top from 2001 was the Metallic, its shiny silver mudguard setting the precedent for 2019’s lustrous Metallic Silver high-top.

Since Jordan’s third and final retirement in 2003, many AJ11s have been made to mark certain milestones in his career. Some go back as far as his university days, when he played for the North Carolina Tar Heels. One such sneaker is the Win Like 82, which commemorates his winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Championship game with its navy blue mudguard and University Blue Jumpman. This last colour represents the Tar Heels and has been used on many other Air Jordan 11s, including the low-top UNC colourway, whose entire mudguard features this tone. Then there is the Georgetown, which was made as a nod to the other team involved in that 1982 final – the Georgetown Hoyas.

Another moment from Jordan’s sporting life is remembered in the Jordan 11 Retro Low Barons, whose white midsole, marbled mudguard and black upper mimic the tones of his Minor League Baseball uniform. His incredible comeback run was celebrated on both the Gym Red Win Like 96, with its bold all red upper, and the 72-10, so named because it was the Chicago Bulls’ record-breaking regular season return that year. It combines tumbled leather, patent leather and suede across its black upper, while rich red highlights and a white midsole add winning flashes of colour to the design.

The 72-10 was also part of a tradition begun by Jordan Brand in the late 2000s of releasing an Air Jordan 11 colourway every December. Sometimes, these are retro versions of classic colourways, such as the 2011 Concord and the 2019 Bred, while others are reworkings of earlier models, as in the case of the 2022 Cherry high-top. Then there are those that introduce a completely new design. These include the Gamma Blue – a sleek all black sneaker with gold and teal highlights which was followed up a year later by the Pantone – a blue and white edition that seems to reference the University of North Carolina.

These holiday AJ11s have revealed just how popular the sneaker’s heritage colourways are, which is perhaps why there are so many designs based on the 90s originals. The Concord in particular has inspired a number of sophisticated models, starting with one half of the 2006 Defining Moments Pack. Made to celebrate Jordan’s NBA titles from ‘91 and ‘96, the DMP included an updated version of the first Jordan 11 with added golden elements, such as a moulded Jumpman on the lateral heel. These effects were repeated on the Gratitude model from late 2023, which was created to show Jordan Brand’s appreciation for its fans. A decade before this, the Concord was also used as the basis for the low-top Tuxedo colourway. Although it looks quite different from its predecessor, this shoe is actually just the Concord in reverse, with a white mudguard and black upper, its name reflecting the fact that the Air Jordan 11 was initially designed to go well with formal attire. 2018’s Cap and Gown or Prom Night colourway achieves the same effect via its sleek black outer, which makes it perfect for graduation ceremonies.

While those editions influenced by earlier sneakers have been hugely popular, there are also many that have developed a strong following for their unique features and colour schemes. There is the Platinum Tint, whose cream-coloured outer is highlighted with flashes of bright red, 2020’s Jubilee edition, which was released to mark the 25th anniversary of the Jordan 11, and the Neapolitan, whose deep brown mudguard, outsole pods and branding give it considerable appeal. Meanwhile, others distinguish themselves via their deviation from the traditional patent leather material on the sneaker’s exaggerated mudguard. 2021’s Animal Instinct employs a downy fur decorated with various animal prints across this feature, while 2016’s Heiress ‘Velvet’ is coated in the material it is named for and decorated in a rich burgundy hue. The very first women’s exclusive colourway of the Air Jordan 11, the Midnight Navy, also incorporates plush velvet on its mudguard, which sits below its luxurious navy blue nubuck quarter. Another Heiress model known as the Black Stingray has glittery black leather on its mudguard that resembles the sea creature it is named after, while the Neutral Olive uses a burnished suede in shiny olive green. The all blue upper of the highly collectible Derek Jeter model from 2017 is covered in suede, and the Premium model called Grey Suede uses the same material across its upper, which sports minimal branding in the form of a single debossed Jumpman on the lateral heel.

Due to the massive success of the Jordan 11, some of its groundbreaking design features have been carried over to other models and variants. As well as the many Cleats, which all maintain a classic look on the upper but have a moulded sole unit that incorporates Lunarlon foam and grippy studs, there has also been a Golf sneaker with a customised sole. Then there is the comfort-focused Jordan 11 CMFT Low, which combines Cushlon foam with Zoom Air cushioning for enhanced underfoot padding, and a wide range of Air Jordan 11 Retro designs alongside more modern updates like the technologically advanced Adapt. Another notable model is the low-top IE, which was first released back in 1996, during the early days of the AJ11. The first two IE sneakers were the ever-popular Bred and a new colourway known as Cobalt for its vivid blue accents. Both have been rereleased over the years, and the elephant print leather mudguard on the latter has been applied to other versions of this model, including 2020’s Black Cement. Basketball player Chris Paul helped to raise the profile of the IE in 2015 by appearing in a sleek black version with red accents while attending a basketball event in Las Vegas. Not long after this, a very similar sneaker nicknamed the Referee went on general release and has remained one of the most well-regarded IE designs. In 2019, a version was created with the legendary Space Jam look, including familiar features like the white midsole, black patent leather mudguard and dark purple branding.

The Jordan 11 Low IE looks quite different to the high-top, with a ridged upper, triangular sections cut out of the mudguard and a leather toe cap, but the low-top that was first introduced to the line in 2001 stays true to the 1995 Jordan 11, retaining its patent leather mudguard and webbed lacing system, amongst other features. Some of its most noteworthy colourways include 2014’s Infrared, which counts the vibrant Nike tone of the same name amongst its red and white accents, and the white and gold Closing Ceremony, whose lustrous Metallic Gold mudguard was inspired by the United States’ medal-winning performance at the 2016 Olympic Games. 2017 delivered a pair called Blue Moon, with soft navy suede and textured leather, while 2018 brought the iridescent Emerald, also known as the Easter because it came out during the Spring holiday season, and the graceful Rose Gold, with its polished mudguard in pale bronze. In 2020, two iconic colourways were combined to forge the Concord Bred, 2022 saw the release of the women’s Pure Violet, which combines gentle hues of purple and white for an elegant sneaker, and 2023 produced the Cement Grey, whose soft grey mudguard sits below the familiar white mesh found on many other Air Jordan 11s.

In the decades since it was first released, the Jordan 11 has been reproduced in countless designs, many displaying the captivating features that made the first so uniquely popular right from the start. Thanks to the remarkable story behind the sneaker, it will always remain a towering icon, not just amongst the Jordan signature line, but also in wider sneaker culture. No wonder it has been hailed by Michael as one of his all-time favourites.