It’s November 19, 1984. The atmosphere in the stadium is electric and tangible as the basketball game between the Chicago Bulls and the Philadelphia 76ers begins. The pounding of the ball on the court is only matched by the repeated screeching of the rubber soles of the players’ shoes. Suddenly, new Chicago Bulls rookie player Michael Jordan breaks away from the pack, ball in hand. He crosses the court and as he approaches the rim, he leaps into the air with a move that would later be dubbed. There’s a flash of red and black as he leaves the ground, flying toward the rim. And he scores!
It’s not the game itself that put this date in the history books, but rather this was the inaugural unveiling of the Air Jordan I.
The Jordan I changed athletic footwear forever and started what would become a multi-million dollar corporation. Designed by Peter Moore, the Air Jordan I radically changed the design of basketball shoes when it added a transparent heel. The vibrant red and black colorway was highly controversial because current basketball rules required all team members to wear standard basketball shoes. Michael Jordan was fined $5,000 each time he wore new shoes during a game. This only served to further whet the public’s appetite and when the Jordans were released for public sale in 1985, they sold out almost immediately.
The Air Jordan 1 saw a huge social change in the way people viewed footwear and basketball. Athletic shoes, like basketball shoes, were no longer confined to the basketball court, but became iconic style garments. They were loved by every boy and every man and are reputed to be responsible for the growing number of grooms who demanded that they be allowed to wear their basketball shoes with their tuxedo. It wasn’t just society that fell for the Air Jordan seduction, but Nike went from being an athletic shoe manufacturer to a lifestyle brand almost overnight.
Twenty-five years later, we see the release of the Jordan 2010 line. This remarkable success story has changed homes from Nike to the Jordan brand, but it hasn’t changed one bit of its popularity. It seems that Peter Moore discovered the magic ingredient needed to ensure constant sales and whatever that special something is, the Air Jordans still have it in spades.
