On May 7th 1995, Michael Jordan introduced to the world a sample of the Air Jordan 11 āConcordā during Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals against the Orlando Magic. Wearing the number 45 instead of his iconic 23 jersey, the move reflected MJās spontaneous state of mind at the time, having just returned to the league after a year in the MLB. Despite the Chicago Bulls losing the game, the highlight for many was the new sneakers on Jordanās feet.
Michael Jordan and his Air Jordan 11 āConcordā during Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conferences semi-final, against the Orlando Magic, 7th May 1995 (via Sneakernews.com)
Following the announcement of MJ’s early retirement, Tinker Hatfield was convinced that the brand is strong enough to continue to develop and sell the GOAT’s trainers despite his absence from the floor. So he decides to design the most innovative model of his career (at the time), without knowing that MJ will soon announce his dramatic comeback to basketball in 1995 with his mythical press release, “I’m back”.
Image via Nike
The first surprise of the process: Hatfield is inspired by a lawnmower for the shape of the AJ11. In terms of performance, this is the first pair with a carbon fibre plate along the entire length of the sole, for greater speed and dynamism. Ankle and foot support is ensured by the upper part of the upper in resistant nylon, inspired by camping bags, while a new thicker tongue is used for the first time.
Then comes the model’s most obvious innovation, the famous patent leather which reinforces the shoe and makes MJ shine in both the literal and figurative senses of the word. This symbolic element was born out of an earlier request from His Airness to Hatfield to create a flashier, more classy model. Hatfield later thought of the shiny bodywork of MJ’s sports cars and used this as the inspiration to create this legendary leather patent.
The icy sole is another novelty. Its inclusion helped draw the eye to the Air technology, the carbon plate and the Jumpman logo, which is also present on the collar, with the number 45 for the OG version and 23 for the majority of reissues.
Image via solecollector.com
During Game 2 of the series against Orlando, Jordan again wore an AJ11 sample, but this time his jersey was number 23 instead of 45, and he was the only player in Chicago to wear mostly white sneakers, which cost him fines and an obligation to rock the “Space Jam” version for Games 4, 5 and 6. The following year, the Bulls had a record (at the time) of 72 wins and 10 losses, thanks in particular to MJ and his 11 “Concord”. He was named MVP of the 1996 NBA All-Star Game wearing the “Columbia” edition and ended the season with a fourth NBA ring, a new MVP title in the finals and the famous “Bred” colourway on his feet.
CHICAGO – JUNE 16: Michael Jordan #23 of the Chicago Bulls celebrates winning the1996 NBA Championship after defeating the Seattle SupperSonics in Game Six of the NBA Finals on June 16, 1996 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Off the courts, pop culture is taking over the AJ11 phenomenon. On February 28, 1996, Boyz II Men pulled off the “Concord” with their tuxedoes for a memorable performance at the 38th Grammy Awards. A few months later, American television viewers tuned in for the last episode of Prince of Bel-Air, with Will Smith left standing alone in the Banks’ family living room wearing the AJ11 “Columbia”.
THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR — “I Done: Part 1 & 2” Episode 23 & 24 — Pictured: Will Smith as William “Will” Smith — Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank
As soon as it was officially released in November 1996, the AJ11 became a must-have. Since then, its timeless grail status has been highlighted with every drop, from OG colours to premium editions like “Pinnacle Grey Suede”, to general releases like “Gamma Blue” and Low and Low IE.
Today, 25 years after the AJ11 first appeared on the floor of the United Center, Jordan Brand celebrates the occasion with the “Jubilee” version. The model was inspired by sketches made at the time by Tinker Hatfield. It features a black patent leather uppers and vamp, a white sole and quality metallic details such as the Jumpman on the collar, 23 on the heel and Jordan’s inscriptions on the eyelets. Unlike other editions, the number 25 is embroidered on the insole. And it’s not over yet, as the brand is also releasing the Air Jordan 11 “Adapt” with Nike Adapt automatic lacing technology.
If I had to describe AJ11 in one word, I would choose “heritage”. In my opinion, it is this notion that pushed Tinker Hatfield to design this model. The desire, or even the need, to perpetuate MJ’s heritage, its phenomenal performance and its iconic status. In terms of colour, I prefer the “Concord” which, for me, is synonymous with purity. My favourite memory of the AJ11 dates back to 1997 when I saw Space Jam at a cinema in France. I was too young to know the AJ11 (and the other pairs) featured in the movie, but its final dunk left a mark on me and thanks to this movie, I got into basketball, NBA, sneakers and everything that goes with it.
Image via SneakerNews.com
