I’m sure by this point you’re probably pretty tired of these. I’ve gone over three Jordan models, and unfortunately we’ll be looking at one more. On the positive side, this is both the last and most important Jordan shoe that I’ll be covering. All announcements aside, it’s time to talk about my personal favorite Jordan silhouette: the Air Jordan 11.
The Jordan 11 is significant for a number of reasons. It was the first Jordan shoe to feature patent leather, as the entire toebox was reinforced with the stronger leather. It was the first shoe in the industry to be made with carbon fiber, using a plate under the midsole to help provide stability. More so than anything else, the shoe was just beautiful. It was sleek, futuristic and just plain amazing. Speaking purely from bias, I think that the Jordan 11 is arguably the best looking Jordan, with only the Jordan 1 coming even close in my mind. Its two-toned color palette made nearly every color-way desirable, and its colored outsole was just the cherry on top.
The Jordan 11 wasn’t just pretty, becoming one of the most praised basketball shoes to come from the Jordan line. They released for the 1995-96 NBA season, Jordan’s first since “retiring” to play baseball two years prior. This would be yet another historic season for Jordan and the Bulls, as they went 72-10 for the season, breaking the record for most wins in a season. Jordan won his fourth MVP this season, following it up with another NBA championship. By this point, Jordan’s legacy had been cemented as one of the greatest to ever play, but the Jordan 11 had yet to fully explode. Its opportunity would come in the form of a movie role.
Jordan’s stellar play in the 1995-96 season certainly boosted the Jordan 11’s already immense popularity, but its rise to the pantheon of sneakers can be credited to the movie Space Jam. In the movie, MJ dons a special pair of Jordan 11s that quickly became iconic. Dubbed the Jordan 11 “Space Jam,” it became one of the most sought after sneakers on the market. People would get their opportunity in 2009, when the shoe finally released to the public. The hysteria surrounding the shoe was so great that two people ended up dying due to stampedes on release day.
The Jordan 11 Concord is my favorite sneaker of all time. It singlehandedly spurned my passion for shoes, becoming my ultimate “grail” sneaker. I’m sure one day I’ll eventually get my pair, but until then I’ll save the $500.