Product Description
AIR JORDAN 1 RETRO
The year was 1984, winter. A lack of money forced NIKE to look for ways to expand the company.
Running shoes weren't enough, so they had to try something new. The philosophy was: "If we can't afford to advertise our products on the back page, let's get an athlete to advertise us on the cover." That new someone was supposed to be Michael Jordan – the promising third overall draft pick, selected by the Chicago Bulls. Unfortunately, MJ wasn't convinced by NIKE from the very beginning.
During his time at the University of Chicago, Jordan ran in CONVERSE shoes. Back then, the biggest stars in the NBA had sponsorship deals with CONVERSE, including Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Wouldn't you be tempted by such company? :) However, things turned out a bit differently. CONVERSE didn't make Jordan a suitable offer. Adidas, Jordan's favorite, didn't do it either. Nike, however, immediately joined the ranks. Jordan's private agent, David Falk, was eager for Michael to sign with Nike because they were the only ones offering him his own shoe line, the 'AIR JORDAN'. No other company had previously been willing to sponsor and promote a single-player shoe, but they were willing to do everything they could to convince Jordan. After some time, a meeting was held and an agreement was reached: "Jordan will promote NIKE!".
The support of his family and private agent resulted in a contract, and thus a new shoe line was born – the AIR JORDAN. A logo featuring a soccer ball and wings was created.
Upon signing the contract, Jordan agreed to a five-year, $2.5 million contract. The "Ones" were designed by Peter Moore, and the shoes themselves were a hit, as people around the world spent a fortune to own them. It was not only a great promotion for Jordan, but also for Nike. This is the first model in the AIR JORDAN collection.
Specifications
Exact release date: March 1985.
