Jordan 1 Low

This dichromatic Jordan 1 Low colorway features a classic look that makes it highly appealing. White provides the elegant base layer through the midfoot panels, which taper towards the back of the shoe to form a thin line of leather around the heel. A delicate line of stitching skirts its top edge, and another runs parallel to it from the eyestay to the top of the swoosh, both of which appear in the rich tone of Gym Red, before cutting back to cross over the Nike logo and extend to the midsole. This creates a dynamic effect along the sneaker’s flanks as the white stitching stands out against the red swoosh – a powerful contrast that is repeated throughout the design.

In the forefoot, white becomes the underlayer once more as it coats the perforated toe box. Surrounding this breathable feature is a Gym Red mudguard, at the back of which is a pair of overlays in the same tone that wrap up from the midsole to lie over the bottom of the eyestay. Three eyelets have been pressed into each one, with white laces threading through them to secure the foot in place. Beneath this rests a white canvas tongue with a Gym Red Jumpman embroidered artfully into it at the top. Halfway up the tongue is a piece of red material which the laces can pass through to keep them steady. Sewn into it is a white 23 – a direct nod to the number Michael Jordan wore when on court.

Approaching the heel of the shoe, there are many more Gym Red sections. The low-cut collar, the inner lining and insole all carry this pleasing tone, as does the heel counter, which sits just below a small rectangle of red leather that holds things together at the back. Even the set of Jordan Wings embroidered into the heel is Gym Red, meaning that it blends subtly into the leather panel it sits upon. The opposite is true of the Jumpman on the insole – its use of white makes it clearly visible against the red behind it.

Beneath this premium leather upper is a durable rubber cupsole which employs the same two colors as the rest of the shoe. The midsole and the line of stitching circumnavigating it are both white, while the outsole is Gym Red from heel to toe. The former feature has a springy pocket of encapsulated Air in its heel alongside foam cushioning through the rest of the foot, bringing soft comfort with each step. Finally, the entire shoe relies on the grip patterns of the outsole for support. These include concentric circles divided by a fan of straight lines under the forefoot and a set of chunky lugs below the heel. Embossed into a recessed portion in the center of the outsole is the word “Nike” and a swoosh, thus rounding out the design with a reminder of the brand that started it all.