Jordan 1 Retro Mid

The use of a vibrant shade of red alongside black and white tones on this Jordan 1 Retro Mid puts it amongst the list of stunning Chicago colourways named after Michael Jordan’s Bulls NBA team. It has been built upon a Gym Red rubber outsole that combines both circular and linear grip lines for high levels of traction underfoot. There is also a vaguely hexagonal indentation below the midfoot with Nike branding embossed onto it, while the midsole switches to white for an eye-catching contrast. Inside, this last feature has a pocket of bouncy Nike Air surrounded by foam padding, offering the wearer comfortable cushioning underfoot.

Durable leather panels have then been placed on top of one another to create the familiar shape of the AJ1’s upper. Here, they mostly come in Gym Red, the bright tone covering the forefoot overlays, midfoot panels, heel counter, collar wrap and eyestay. Pristine white sections fill out the remaining panels in the toe box and collar, and the sidewall swooshes add further tonal variation, once again being made of smooth white leather. At the heel, the two Nike logos meet at a Gym Red rectangle which sits a little way behind the black Air Jordan Wings logo stamped onto the lateral collar.

Inside, more dynamic changes in tone appear as the soft inner lining is black and the insole Gym Red. A black Jumpman silhouette has been printed onto the latter, and a white patch brightens up the black material coating the back of the tongue. The frontside of the tongue, meanwhile, is also black, but the laces criss-crossing over it are Gym Red with specks of black thread woven through them. Finally, another splash of Gym Red shows up on the black tongue label in the form of a Jumpman silhouetted above the word “Air”, thus capping off this bold sneaker with a striking version of the brand’s famous logo.