The Air Jordan XI released in time for the 1995-96 season, though MJ had given everyone a sneak preview of it during the playoffs that previous spring, as he wore it in Chicago’s second-round playoff matchup against Orlando.
Form meets function
The Jordan brand, spun off into a label of its own in 1997, began re-releasing the legendary shoe as the Jordan Retro 11 in 2000.
It’s been a regular holiday release since 2008, giving fans an annual opportunity to turn heads in their own right, with the flash of that shiny patent leather foxing on the upper, the signature of designer Tinker Hatfield’s ninth consecutive Air Jordan.
Hatfield, who designed the 11 while his muse had retired to pursue a baseball career from October 1993 to March 1995, was sure MJ would return to the courts.
His goal was to cut weight while maintaining strength for high-performance output. A ballistic mesh upper replaced leather overlays found on previous Air Jordans. And a carbon fiber midfoot shank gave the shoe lighter-but-stronger torsional (twisting) rigidity.
The translucent rubber outsole gave the shoe a frosty look, but the most iconic update to the 11 was on the foxing around the upper, where patent leather made its debut in the world of basketball footwear. Lighter and stronger than traditional leather, patent leather added a premium look that’s earned it a place on sneakerheads’ feet even in formal social settings like wedding parties.
History under foot
MJ’s signature sneakers are like pages in a yearbook. Each one can evoke a memory from Jordan’s career, on or off the court.
There’s the Jordan Retro 3 from 1988, the model he wore to a win in the dunk contest and that introduced elephant print to MJ’s signature line.
The Retro 4 reminds us of the shoe that was on Jordan’s feet when he made “The Shot” that sank Cleveland in the 1989 playoffs.
The Retro 11 is no exception. That 1995-96 season was historic as Chicago went 72-10 on the way to a fourth championship in six years. Jordan dominated the campaign, becoming just the second player in league history to achieve an MVP triple crown when he netted the honor for the all-star game, the regular season, and the finals.
You can rep this era in a number of ways. There’s the shoe, of course, but there also are short- and long-sleeve T-shirts. Fleece pants and pullover hoodies offer multicolored designs that hook up to any Jordan colorway, and they’re available in sizes for men, women, and kids.
