Even in sports, I view it through the lens of community, not competition. Air Jordan 1s have always relied on primary, team-based colors, but the brand has loosened up in terms of its colorway choices over the years. Irving grew up and entered the professional arena during an era that benefited from being able to pick footwear from the best of the best. Specifically, there was opportunity to play and chill in both the latest Nike Off White designs and the greatest silhouettes of the past.
Does that X-strap look familiar Petrie and the team dabbled in a containment set-up that took a page from the Nike Air Raid, among other silhouettes, to lock down different foot shapes. Following its reveal during a SNKRS Live Nike x Off White Shoes back in April, official images of the Taxi have finally surfaced ahead of its release this month. When Celtics owner Walter Brown was asked shortly after the selection if he knew Cooper was Black, Brown is said to have exclaimed, I don't give a damn if he's striped or plaid or polka-dot, Boston takes Charles Cooper of Duquesne! He played four years in Boston and finished his professional career in 1956 with the Fort Wayne Pistons, helping the team win the Western Division and advance to the NBA Finals. A DWR spray helps repel damp and cold - a final flourish for a shoe built to provide a versatile look in winter weather.
New iterations of the Air Jordan 13 are few and far between. But this year, Jordan Brand is giving the silhouette some extra attention, as they've since released both the Del Sol as well as the Brave Blue. Toe boxes, profile swooshes and panels at the heel opt for the titular Mystic Navy tone that resembles the aforementioned blue color at quick glance. Internal renovations to the silhouette include the shoe's original ultra-plush linings and constructions, with the sockliner featuring a hidden Easter egg - an Air Max 1 outsole on the bottom.
Working with Kyrie is one of the rare instances of us working with three parties simultaneously. If you caught the Jordan Fall 2022 release preview, you would've caught the confirmed release of the Air Jordan 1 Yellow Toe, the latest in the popular series of AJ1s with the popular color-blocking with the original Black Toe flavor. In the XIV, Petrie and the design team wanted to get faster, which meant reducing more layers, getting the foot closer to the Zoom Air and replacing the straps with a dual lacing and toggle system. If you look at photos from that game, you can see on my face, I was completely unsure of myself.
The true highlight appears on the insole, where Jordan Off-White x Air Presto Brand urges wearers to wear your shoes, show the world where you've been. while ending the note with PEACE LOVE RESPECT. The giant flaming basketball on the back of the fleece hoodie and pants is an ode to the over-the-top artwork on '90s basketball cards, lionizing the star guards whom Westbrook followed as a kid. The color-blocking is similar to the Air Jordan 1 Heritage as well as the rare royal-toe sample from 1985 one that was later referenced in the Travis Scott x fragment collaboration.
