Air Jordan 1

Air Jordan 1: the most collected sneaker in history since 1985

Step into the world of the Air Jordan 1, the silhouette that redefined the basketball sneaker and streetwear since its April 1985 release. The first signature shoe ever for an athlete in Nike history, the AJ1 was designed by Peter Moore for Michael Jordan as a Chicago Bulls rookie and has become, over four decades, the most collected and most coveted sneaker in the world. From the timeless High OG to Mid and Low versions, through the legendary collaborations Travis Scott, Off-White x Virgil Abloh, Dior, Union LA, Fragment Hiroshi Fujiwara, A Ma Maniére and Louis Vuitton, MTHOR brings together more than 470 authenticated Air Jordan 1 references. Every pair passes through our authentication experts before shipping with the MTHOR seal worldwide.

The story of a legend: Michael Jordan, Peter Moore and the NBA ban

The Air Jordan 1 story begins in October 1984 when Nike — then second on the basketball market behind Adidas and Converse — signs a 5-year / 2.5 million dollar contract with a 21-year-old rookie just drafted by the Chicago Bulls: Michael Jordan. Nike designer Peter Moore conceives the silhouette in 6 months and unveils the Air Jordan 1 to the public in April 1985 — the first basketball sneaker to bear an athlete's name, and the first sneaker to offer the Air Sole unit in a high-end shoe.

The founding episode arrives in autumn 1984: the NBA bans the first AJ1 "Bred" (Black/Red) and "Royal" prototypes because their bright colours violate the 51% white rule imposed by commissioner David Stern. For each game worn by Jordan, Nike pays a 5,000 dollar fine — 410,000 dollars over the 1984-85 season. Nike immediately turns the controversy into a marketing campaign: a TV spot with black bars censoring the shoes and the slogan "On October 18, Nike created a revolutionary new basketball shoe. On October 18, the NBA threw them out of the game. Fortunately, the NBA can't stop you from wearing them". The buzz is global. The AJ1 exceeds Nike's first-year sales forecasts by 100 million dollars.

40 years later, the AJ1 remains the most produced, declined and collaborated silhouette in Nike history. 1994: first Retro reissue. 2001: grand return of OG colourways ("Bred", "Chicago", "Royal", "Shadow"). 2017: Off-White x AJ1 "Chicago" by Virgil Abloh in "The Ten" — resale 8,000 €+. 2019: Travis Scott AJ1 "Mocha" with reverse removable Swoosh — resale 2,000 €+. 2020: Dior x AJ1 High in premium nappa leather — resale 8,000-12,000 €. Then Union LA Storm Blue, Fragment Travis Scott, A Ma Maniére Airness. Today more than 1,000 different AJ1 colourways have been released, and no other sneaker matches its cultural status.

A premium build: leather, Air Sole, Wings logo, ankle support

At the core of every Air Jordan 1 sits a premium construction defining the basketball-lifestyle sneaker standard. The premium smooth leather upper (full-grain leather on OG versions, suede on certain variants) remains the signature material — thick, durable, patinating beautifully over time. The side Swoosh panel and high collar protect the ankle (original basketball performance signature). The Phylon foam midsole with encapsulated Air Sole unit at the heel offers the signature Nike Air cushioning. The rubber outsole with hexagonal pattern ensures grip.

Three visual markers signature an authentic AJ1: (1) the Wings logo embossed on the collar (Peter Moore's signature: a basketball with two wings), (2) the side Swoosh at exact dimensions (the position and length are normed to the millimetre — a fake AJ1 is often spotted by a Swoosh that's too small or too large), (3) the ankle tag with Nike Air logo at top, and (4) the perforated toebox panel with its specific air-hole pattern. These details are systematically verified by MTHOR on every pair.

The standout silhouettes: High OG, Mid, Low

The Air Jordan 1 exists in three main cuts, each with its audience and use. The Air Jordan 1 High OG remains the original and most coveted version — faithful to the 1985 Peter Moore design, high collar protecting the ankle, imposing stance. The fundamental OG colourways "Chicago", "Bred (Black/Red)", "Royal", "Shadow", "Black Toe", "Mocha", "UNC" are the cornerstone of any AJ1 collection.

The Air Jordan 1 Mid, introduced in 2002, offers an intermediate (3-quarter) cut more accessible and declined in thousands of seasonal colourways. More affordable than the High OG (generally 130 € retail vs 200 € retail), it has democratised the AJ1 for a wider audience. Popular colourways: Mid Triple White, Mid Black White, Mid Pine Green, Mid Bred Toe, Mid Chicago Toe, and all Diamond, Patent Leather, Linen variations.

The Air Jordan 1 Low, low-cut version for daily use, has established itself as one of the most worn lifestyle silhouettes in the world. Low cut, more discreet profile, ideal year-round. Iconic colourways: Low Triple White, Low Black/Toe, Low UNC, Low Bred, and all Low Travis Scott (Mocha, Reverse Mocha, Black Phantom, Olive, Canary, Velvet Brown). The Low Diamond Shorts, Low Royal Toe, Low Inside Out complete the range.

The standout Air Jordan 1 collaborations at MTHOR

On the collaborations side, the Air Jordan 1 has become the most used canvas in the sneaker industry. Travis Scott AJ1 dominates the music collabs with the AJ1 High Mocha (May 2019), the AJ1 Low Mocha (July 2019), the Reverse Mocha, the Black Phantom, the Olive, the Canary, the Velvet Brown and the Fragment x Travis Scott. Off-White x AJ1 by Virgil Abloh brings the art-deconstruction touch with the Chicago "The Ten" (2017), the UNC Powder Blue (2018) and the White (2018). Dior x AJ1 (2020) remains the luxury peak — Italian nappa leather, Dior premium packaging, resale 8,000-12,000 €. Union LA x AJ1 offers the Storm Blue and the Black Toe with its signature asymmetric Swoosh. Fragment Hiroshi Fujiwara x AJ1 with its famous double Swoosh and the Royal Blue colourway. A Ma Maniére x AJ1 brings the Atlanta touch with its signature aged leather. Plus the recent collabs Levi's x AJ1, Trophy Room x AJ1 (by Marcus Jordan, Michael's son), Patta x AJ1. MTHOR secures these most coveted drops on the market — all pairs authenticated with reinforced UV lamp / microscope protocol.

Why buy your Air Jordan 1 at MTHOR

MTHOR Shop specialises in the sale of authenticated sneakers. Every pair in our Air Jordan 1 collection goes through a rigorous quality control led by our team of experts: we check the Nike Air Jordan box and size label consistency, the premium smooth leather quality (density, grain, characteristic smell), the side Swoosh precision (exact dimensions, alignment, embroidery with aligned threads), the Wings logo embossed on the collar (depth, perfect alignment), the Air Sole unit (visible and functional), the outsole (hexagonal pattern without smudges), as well as the laces and accessories. For the Travis Scott, Off-White, Dior, Union LA, Fragment, A Ma Maniére collaborations particularly chased by counterfeiters, we apply a reinforced protocol: UV lamp and microscope to verify collab marking precision, special label weaving, Travis Scott reverse Swoosh alignment, Off-White Diamond pattern, and Dior leather quality. Every order ships with an MTHOR seal, a tangible guarantee that quality control was performed and authenticity validated. Learn more about our authentication process.

We offer worldwide signed-for home delivery in 2 to 8 days, with real-time tracking via email and WhatsApp, 4x interest-free payment via Klarna or Scalapay, and a France-based customer service available Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm. No customs fees on your end: MTHOR covers all customs duties and taxes.

FAQ — Air Jordan 1 at MTHOR

How can I verify the authenticity of an Air Jordan 1?

Every pair sold on MTHOR has been authenticated by our team of experts before shipment. We systematically control: (1) the Nike Air Jordan box with the exact side sticker (SKU, size, colourway, manufacturing date), (2) the inner label with barcode matching the official SKU, (3) the leather quality (real AJ1 have thick, dense leather with a characteristic smell), (4) the side Swoosh at normed dimensions, (5) the Wings logo deeply embossed on the collar, (6) the Air Sole unit visible at the heel, and (7) the outsole with hexagonal pattern. For the Travis Scott, Off-White, Dior, Union LA, Fragment and A Ma Maniére collabs, we systematically use UV lamp and microscope. The pair is then sealed before shipment. Full details here.

What size should I pick for an Air Jordan 1?

The Air Jordan 1 High OG and the Mid fit true to your usual Nike size. If you have other Nike pairs (Air Force 1, Dunk), stick to the same size. The Low fits very slightly more generous — you can take half a size down if you have thin feet, or stay on your usual size for a relax fit. For the Travis Scott, Off-White, Dior collabs, fit identical to standard versions.

Which Air Jordan 1 is the most coveted?

The Travis Scott AJ1 High Mocha remains the absolute Holy Grail (resale 1,800-2,500 €). The Off-White x AJ1 "Chicago" by Virgil Abloh follows (resale 4,000-6,000 €), then the Dior x AJ1 High (8,000-12,000 €). On the OG classics: the AJ1 "Chicago" 2015, the AJ1 "Bred" 2016, the AJ1 "Royal Toe" 2018. The AJ1 Low Travis Scott dominates on the Low side (Mocha, Reverse Mocha, Black Phantom).

What's the difference between AJ1 High, Mid and Low?

The AJ1 High OG is the original 1985 model — high collar protecting the ankle, retail price ~200 €, the most coveted by collectors and purists. The AJ1 Mid has a 3-quarter cut (between high and low), retail price ~130 €, more accessible and declined in thousands of seasonal colourways. The AJ1 Low is the low-cut version, retail price ~120 €, ideal for daily use and warm weather. All three share the same Swoosh, the same Wings logo, and the same Air Sole.

What box does my AJ1 pair ship with?

You receive the original Nike Air Jordan box with Jumpman marking specific to the colourway (classic red box for OG, black box for some collabs). For the Travis Scott, Off-White, Dior, Union LA, Fragment collaborations, the dedicated collab packaging ships with signature hangtags, multiple laces (3 different pairs for Travis Scott Mocha, yellow Off-White laces, Dior dust bag). Everything ships in an MTHOR overpack to protect the box during transport.

What's the delivery time?

We ship worldwide, with signed-for home delivery in 2 to 8 days. Real-time tracking via email and WhatsApp.

Will I have to pay customs fees?

No, you won't pay any customs fees. MTHOR covers all customs duties and taxes.

Can I return my pair if it doesn't fit?

Yes. You have 14 days from receipt in original condition (never worn, intact box, seal not removed).

Going further

Discover also our Air Jordan, Nike Sneakers and Nike x Travis Scott collections. To learn everything about the quality of our sneakers, check out our detailed authentication process or our guide How to recognize a real pair of sneakers.