Jordan

Air Jordan 1

The shoe the NBA banned — and Nike turned into a legend.

Year Released

1985

Designer

Peter B. Moore

Silhouette

High

Category

Basketball

Original Retail

$65

About

The Air Jordan 1 is the shoe that started one of the most valuable sneaker franchises in history. Designed by Nike's Peter B. Moore, it was built for Michael Jordan during his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls and produced in November 1984, with a public release date of April 1, 1985. Nike constructed the AJ1 in Bulls red and black with only 23% white, deliberately defying the NBA's uniform-compliance rule that required 51% white. The NBA fined Jordan $5,000 per game; Nike paid every fine and weaponised the controversy with the iconic Banned advertisement, turning a regulatory violation into a cultural moment. The original 50,000-pair run sold out immediately and the shoe generated over $150 million in sales in year one alone — against Nike's initial target of $3 million over three years. The high-top leather silhouette with its visible Swoosh and Wings logo became a streetwear icon far beyond basketball, establishing the Air Jordan line as the template for all athlete-signature footwear that followed.