Detail and Design: How the Jordan shoe line lost it's touch . . .

There is nothing like the originals. In the case of the Nike's historic Air Jordan line, it just might be true.

In the case of its original inception, the Air Jordan line changed much of what was expected from a sneaker. It had to look cool and perform at a high level if you are talking about sports. The Air Jordan line and hip hop had grown up in the mainstream together. There was a base of sneaker culture before the innovation that came into Jordan, and there was already a format for hip hop before it became a lucrative business. I personally have heard stories of old school style sneakers that were hot. For example a pair of Adidas shell tops were the top of the line sneaker retailing at 60 dollars. They did everything back in the day that is done now to keep them clean and looking new.

It was raw, it was funky. The Air Jordan line and the player who wore them had an aura around them. The sneakers came out with controversy and were a hit within urban communities. The design for the sneakers each felt new, felt cool. Every detail in the sneakers was on point and the hip hop community embraced the sneakers and the player that wore them.


There just was something real about them that could make anyone love them. The colors of certain numbers were creative, the designs were always on point. Every aspect of the sneaker was cool. But then Nike went design happy. They released countless Team Jordans. They mixed the sneaker with other sneakers and combined them in odd ways. Here are the Spizike's originally it was a follow in the mixing of Jordan's, it was not that bad and had a purpose. The actual design of the sneaker is nice but the one part that throws it off for me is the blue in the lace holder. It is obviously intended to be an accent. But the tone in blue is what messes this sneaker up.

That is just one example of how the controlling of sneaker details has messed the line up. The fusion series with Nike Air Force One's (Uptowns or Harlems if you are in Yonkers) is not cool man. They ripped away from the quality in the original Jordan's they would fuse the sneaker with.

It was more than just a basketball shoe. Now, it might just stay that way as Nike will rollout other sneakers to take its place in terms of hip hop fashion.

Here is a clip from the movie "Do the Right Thing"

Peep how they talk about Gentrification, interesting right?