As we stated earlier, Jordan Brand officially unveiled Dwyane Wade?s first signature sneaker (with the brand), the Jordan Fly Wade. Dwyane Wade and Jordan Brand Creative Director Mark Smith joined forces to discuss the origin, design process and other specifics regarding the Jordan Fly Wade at an unveiling event in Miami, Florida today. Besides the details we shared with you earlier, we learned that the Jordan Fly Wade is very similar to the Air Jordan 2011 (elephant print outsole, asymmetrical collar cut) and other Jordan models in terms of performance capabilities. Dwyane Wade also stressed to us his happiness on having the lightest Jordan sneaker ever created.
“Today, everyone’s moving lighter,” Dwyane Wade stated. “At this time of the year, you have tired and more heavier legs because it’s been a long season. This shoe is something I will definitely transition into for the playoffs. You need every advantage you can get during this time.”
Although lightweight seems the way to go currently, Mark Smith admitted that maintaining an extremely lightweight capacity was one of the biggest challenge considering Dwyane Wade’s aggressive style of play.
“One of the biggest challenges was trying to keep this guy’s (Dwyane Wade) feet centered all while being solid and lighter,” said Mark Smith. “You don’t want to lose the benefits of keeping it stable by trying to make a lightweight shoe. It won’t be the lightest out there, but it is the lightest Jordan.”
As for his involvement in the design process of the Jordan Fly Wade, Dwyane stated that he basically sat back and let the designers be “great”.
“I’m a fan of the brand, and they have done some unbelievable things,” said Wade. I wanted to see what these guys could come up with and then work from there. These guys are great and that’s why the brand is as successful as it is. We played with a lot of different styles and looks and both sides were happy with the way it came out.”
What are your thoughts on the Jordan Fly Wade? Is this an innovative winner for Jordan Brand? Check out photos of the event below, in addition to multiple, detailed photos of the Jordan Fly Wade.
**Note**: Two colorways of the Jordan Fly Wade will be available to the public on Thursday, May 5, 2011 and in China on Saturday, May 7, 2011, for $140. Lastly, the Jordan Fly Wade will be available for NikeiD customization on Sunday May 29, 2011. The final two colorways will hit retailers in June.
RELATED: Jordan Fly Wade Officially Unveiled
Click here to view detailed photos of the first Jordan Fly Wade colorways.
