Words by Charlotte Whybrow @charlottewhybrow
The Jordan 1 High holds a core memory for me. Sadly, I’m not able to share some of the amazing memories that people hold of the OG Jordan 1 Highs, but my memory was the first time that I felt the thrill of getting a W email, which is also a rarity in itself!
I remember my first fascination over the shoe! We’d popped to the coffee shop for our usual, before work and both sat waiting for the Jordan 1 High Obsidian to release. I waited on the edge of my seat for the results and just then, a W came through. I had just copped my first ever Jordan 1 High!
Since then, my Jordan 1 collection has grown a vast amount, with February – March 2021 being a particularly good period as I grabbed 4 pairs. Currently I’m sitting on around 20 pairs and I’m hoping to add to my collection very soon. I have my eyes set on the Jordan 1 High Bred Toes as well as the upcoming Jordan 1 High Starfish.
The Jordan 1 High Starfish features two must-have colours in anyone’s wardrobe – brown and orange, with an off-white exterior, adding to the vintage aesthetic.
The ‘Starfish’ accents on the shoe, are categorised under the ‘Shattered Backboard’ collection of colourways, known for their vibrant orange elements. The collection was named after Michael Jordan himself, after an event that took place in 1985, where Jordan’s dunk was so powerful that it literally shattered the glass of the backboard.
One thing that really stands out about this release is that it's a women’s Jordan 1 High release. The female sneaker community is growing at a vast rate – more noticeably over the last two years.
However, have you ever wanted a sneaker so bad, for it to then appear on online and you immediately see the starting size is an EU40? Or how about taken a moment to think about how with a lot of the sneaker releases, there is only ever men’s, GS and toddler sizing? Time and time again women are forgotten, and sizes are literally skipped. Therefore, when we see a women’s release, we begin to feel included!
The usual expectation of a women’s release also includes the idea of ‘pink it and shrink it,’ where companies will take their product and use this strategy to supposedly attract women. A more recent women’s release saw the addition of an extremely chunky sole, on a Jordan 1 Low with an OG colourway. In a way this is very belittling to the female sneaker community as it creates the assumption that we're not good enough for a retro release, or when there is, bae sizing is skipped or has a completely absurd resell price!
There are now multiple platforms that are working to fight against this discriminatory behaviour, with Titi Finlay (@ttfinlay) and Sneaker Sisterhood (@sneakersisterhood) two prime examples. They constantly celebrate women in sneakers, highlighting the importance of us feeling included and encouraging conversations around gatekeeping in sneakers.
When we are given access to a sneaker through exclusivity, it already adds a special aspect to the shoe. Not only does it open up opportunities for sneaker girls, but also encourages more women to pursue sneakers.
The history that the orange represents, combined with the fact it’s a Women’s release, will make this pair very much sought after.
Originally teased on Jumpman’s Instagram, with an image starring WNBA star Isabelle Harrison, the pair is finally set to release at the end of September. This will be just in time for Autumn, which is an ideal release time considering the colour palette of the shoes. I’ll definitely be pairing the ‘Starfish’ with a brown tracksuit to highlight those subtle details.
Check out more from @charlottewhybrow on Instagram and OffspringHQ for info on the J1 Starfish release.
