words // Ian Stonebrook:
Jordan Brand’s remastered retro campaign has seen everything from accolade driven OGs to the return of revered retro + colorways. Perhaps the most interesting or thoughtful attribute of the remastered campaign is the attention to rehashed and previously unreleased sample styles. Last weekend’s Air Jordan 5 “Pre-Grape” origin struck a cord with collectors more than any modern Hornets color story, while previewed pairs of Air Jordan 1s with Air Jordan 2 midsoles could prove one of Jordan Brand’s most risky heritage plays yet.
Adding to that lineage is a new crop of Air Jordan 1 colorways that hit the web today. While the color palettes are more practical than profound, they do pack a particularly unique attribute in the form of italic ankle branding rather than that of the iconic Wings logo.
Pulling from the vault once again, this italic branding replicates that of the sample Air Jordan 1s draped from MJ’s shoulders in an iconic ad campaign. For an older fan base that has long fought for Nike Air tagging and OG packaging, these efforts certainly shouldn’t go unnoticed.
While it’s unclear the plans or positioning for the italicized Air Jordan 1 releases, it does open up the endless possibilities of what could be retroed or rehashed from Jordan Brand. Let us know which detail-driven drops you’d like to see from JB in 2015 or 2016.
