No one needs an introduction to Michael “Air” Jordan. But some of you may not know about the original “Banned” Jordans. Often mistaken for a “Bred” (black/red) colorway of the Air Jordan 1, the sneakers were in fact the Nike Air Ship prototype silhouette.
MJ made the shoes famous in 1984 during an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks. At the time, the league had rules in place for shoe colors and players: “must wear shoes that not only matched their uniforms, but matched the shoes worn by teammates.” It led to the “51 percent rule” where sneakers had to be 51% white and Jordan said “I felt like I wanted to be different.”
When the rule was eventually lifted in the 2000’s, MJ already brought six titles to Chicago and redefined the path of youth culture and sneaker culture. Now, the Air Ship Pro is finally making a return. Italian boutique Back Door Bottega is releasing the coveted pair on August 7 via raffle. This is a cult classic and a must-have. In order to enter, you must be located in Europe, learn more here. We just hope these get a global release.
Photos via Back Door Bottega
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