Words by @nineteen.85

In the early 2000s, it felt like everything was heavily influenced by the 90s and late 80s, from the music that we listened to, the videos we watched and magazines we read.

I started playing basketball when I went to college in 2001 and everything was still about Michael Jordan. He was bigger than the sport itself and anybody who had a pair of Jordans on their feet instantly had a level of street cred. Sadly, that wasn’t me though, at the age of 16 I didn’t have the money to be able to get Jordans and was wearing some really busted Nikes both on and off the court. A friend of mine at the time recognised my hardship and with him being someone who was lucky enough to have two or three pairs of Jordans he was also kind enough to give me his old pair, the Jordan 14 ‘Indiglo’ which unknown to me at the time would mark the beginning of an obsession that has lasted over 20 years.

Around that time, Mike had come back to play for the Wizards, and he was playing in the Jordan 17 and 18. On my 18th birthday I used birthday money to buy a pair those 18’s, complete with the suede brush. My first pair of new Jordans. Slam magazine was huge at the time, and in the back, Slam Kicks used to show us all the coolest kicks around.

It was the Jordan 1, 3, and 4 which I immediately fell in love with, and they still remain my favourites to this day.

Not long after this, I got my first pair of 1’s, Phat Lows in the wolf grey colour way with elephant print on the swoosh. As a homage to the Jordan 3 these ticked every box for me. But it was in 2013 when I grabbed the Chicago 1’s, that I really felt I had obtained a special pair of shoes and this pair has remained as my favourite ever sneaker.

With the original Jordan 1 releasing in the same year that I was born, it was a personal mission of mine to try and find an OG Chicago 1 and in 2017 I was lucky enough to acquire one from a seller in Asia. At the time the value of OG’s was anywhere from £300-£500 and I managed to pick these up for £350 including shipping which in today’s market is an absolute bargain. Then in 2021, a pair of OG Natural Grey 1’s became available in my size, and I was able to negotiate a trade of Stussy Dunks plus cash with the seller, and with that I had 2 OG grails in my collection.

It’s nice now to be in a position where I can compare the OG’s to the different iterations of the Jordan 1 that we’ve seen throughout the years.

The releases from 2010 to 2013 were really mid cut, although we didn’t have the same knowledge that we do now and we were quite happy with whatever we could get our hands on so they felt good at the time, but with a Jumpman logo on the heel and tongue and the shape not being quite right there was always a feeling of wanting something more similar to what Mike wore, and I think that is still the goal today when we think about everything we would like from the Jordan 1.

The reimagined Jordan 1 Chicago that released at the end of last year is a really beautiful version, with homages to the OG through the cracking on the collar, the yellowing, and the story telling with the packaging. However, the 85 cut iterations that we’ve seen in the last few years are easily the closest to the OG’s. The sole shape is almost identical, as is the narrower toe box, and the slightly smaller wings logo. High quality thick full grain leather makes them durable, and it’s the first time we’ve seen the size stamp back on the ankle collar and the addition of the OG hangtag.

I have always been a big fan of the black and white Jordan 1. In 2015 when I went to live in New Zealand this was one of only five pairs that I took with me (The NZ All-Black’s colour scheme seemed appropriate!)

However, when I returned, they were beat and with a rumour of a new retro coming out I parted with them in 2017. Unfortunately for me this rumour turned out to be false, so I’ve been without this colourway ever since! Now over the last year we’ve seen a panda-mic of black and white Nikes in the form of the dunk low taking over the streets, so the release of the Air Jordan 1 High ’85 Black White seems like perfect timing.

These look like they are going to be everything we expect from an 85 cut Jordan 1, giving that OG feel on an OG colourway and they could be one of the best 1s to release of this year.

The Jordan 1 has been popular for almost 40 years and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. There will always be a space for this silhouette and looking into the future I’d love to see more reimagined versions including the Black Toe, Bred and the UNC which would look incredible with aged collar and panels. I’d also love to see more authentic collaborations with individuals like Nigel Sylvester, or Aleali May. Union have done an incredible job story telling on both Jordan 1 highs and lows, which I feel sets up a great space for an iconic store this side of the pond to have their take on this silhouette too.

So I’m using this opportunity to speak an Offspring Jordan 1 into existence please!

Check out more from Mark on Instagram @nineteen85