The definitive guide to the best Air Jordan 1s

Arguably the most recognized shoe silhouette of all time, the Air Jordan 1s were the sneakers that started it all. First worn by Michael Jordan in 1984, released in ’85, attached to Nike’s ‘Banned’ marketing campaign, and kicking off Jumpmania, the AJ 1s set the stage for the Jordan Brand.

Celebrating the shoe that started it all, here’s our ranking of the best colourways of the iconic Air Jordan 1:

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5. fragment design x air jordan 1 retro high og

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Released in time for the 30th anniversary of the Air Jordan 1, streetwear legend, Hiroshi Fujiwara, teamed up with the brand to deliver a “remastered” collection. Swapping the varsity red panels for a royal blue hue may have seemed like a simple move, but it was nothing short of genius to many. Reminiscent of the OG 1985 Air Jordan 1, this colourway is now one of the most coveted colourways out there, fetching the big bucks on the resale market.

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4. Retro High OG “Top 3”

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The aptly-named ‘Top 3’ mashes together three of the most beloved past releases, ‘Bred’, Chicago’, and ‘Royal’. Colourblocked panels of red, blue, white and black are asymmetrically mixed with design cues from each of the 3 classic sneakers. We’re huge fans of the alternating colours on the soles and toe box. An homage to the MJ’s status as the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, this colourway packs three times the punch.

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3. High OG “Black Toe”

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Easily recognised by its Chicago Bulls-centric colourway, ‘Black Toe’ debuted in 1985 as part of the original lineup of sneakers a rookie Michael Jordan wore just as he dove into superstardom. It has the perfect amount of edge, including bold black panels distinctly along the mudguard, leading to its name. Fun fact – MJ only wore these shoes a handful of times on court, and he so happened to be wearing them in the photo that inspiredJordan’s Jumpman logo itself. No wonder these babies resell for thousands of dirhams, you’re essentially buying a piece of history!

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2. High OG “Shattered Backboard”

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‘Shattered Blackboard’ has not only the most perfectly balanced colour combination, but it also has one of the most exciting moments in basketball history to serve as its inspiration. Constructed from premium tumbled leather, with panels of bright starfish orange, crisp white, contrasted with black, the colourway is a nod to the team uniform MJ donned during his ‘85 tour. This was also the time that he shattered the glass backboard during a powerful slam dunk – hence the name.

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1. High OG “Chicago” & “Bred”

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Tied in first place are two OGs that were pivotal for not only Jordan Brand, but also Nike. ‘Chicago’ and ‘Bred’ hold a special place in every AJ 1 fan’s heart and have a history that go hand-in-hand. Designed exclusively for Michael Jordan by Peter Moore, the colourways were far ahead of their time; ‘Bred’ came in a black and varsity red that was deemed “too colourful” on court by the NBA. The league mandated that basketball shoes needed to be at least 51% white, and MJ was fined a whopping $5,000 each time he played wearing ‘Bred’. Nike, after paying off MJ’s fines, then decided to add a little white to the style and ‘Chicago’ was born. By attracting controversy and playing to Michael Jordan’s rebellious “stick-it-to-the-man” nature, the two colourways made the Air Jordan 1 one of the most revered and influential sneakers in history.

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