The Air Jordan 1 is about as classic as a sneaker can be. No matter the style or colorway, the shoe has become a household name both within and without the basketball and streetwear communities. With a storied history that dates back to legendary athlete Michael Jordan’s reluctant partnership with Nike in the 1980s, Air Jordan 1s have been reimagined in various styles, with the help of multiple collaborators, for years. Below are some of the rarest Air Jordan 1s ever made and, while they’re all unique to the artists and events they represent, they still maintain the style that made them classics in the first place.
- Fragment x Air Jordan
- Chinese New Year 2021
- Air Jordan 1s for Art Basel 2017
- Solefly x Air Jordan 1
- Just Don x Air Jordan 1 BHM
- “Legends of Summer” Air Jordan 1s
- Air Jordan 1 ‘WINGS for the Future’
- Doernbecher “What The” Air Jordan
- 1985 Exhibition Game Air Jordan 1s
- Colette “Au Revoir”
photo source: Goat.com
This was the first collaboration between Air Jordan and Fragment Design, a Japanese brand run by artist Hiroshi Fujiwara, who has since joined with Nike to create subsequent shoes. The leather shoe was sold in limited quantities, making it highly desirable for sneakerheads. It is considered one of the Jordan Brand’s most popular colorways, featuring the Fragment Design logo on the heel.
Did you know
“Sneakerhead” refers to people who collect designer sneakers. The trend took off with the release of Air Jordans in 1985.
Price: $130
Available Colorways: Black/Red
photo source: Houseofheat.com
This limited edition Air Jordan celebrates the year of the ox, 2021, with a red/black colorway that features intricate embroidery in a traditional style. The shoe was produced in super limited quantities, with only 8,500 in existence, and sold with a red envelope customary for the holiday. Nike and the Jordan brand have released Chinese New Year shoes in the past, most recently in 2020.
Did you know
While the exact year of development is unknown, scholars believe the Chinese Zodiac was formalized during the Han dynasty, making it over 2,000 years old.
photo source: News.nike.com
The original Air Jordan black toe was redesigned in light blue and pink for Miami’s Art Basel event in 2017. The Igloo version of the design is more valuable than the rust pink version; a used Igloo shoe costs $3,500 while a used Rust Pink is only $750. Art basel is an annual art show that brings artists from around the globe to showcase their work to buyers and gallery directors.
Did you know
If it hadn’t been for Michael Jordan putting his foot down, so to speak, Air Jordans might never have existed. The NBA warned him to stop wearing the shoes because their colors were non-regulation, but Jordan ignored them.
photo source: Sneakerbardetroit.com
The Solefly x Air Jordan was a special collaboration for Art Basel 2019 in Miami, an arts and music festival with A-List celebrities. Solefly is a Miami-based boutique that specializes in high-end streetwear, making it an ideal candidate to design the exclusive release. The shoes came in both leather and patent leather, the latter being limited to 223 pairs, and cost $160 originally. The police shut down the shoes’ release at Art Basel due to safety concerns so the collaboration ended up selling via online raffle.
Did you know
Carlos Pietro, Michael Jordan’s brother in law, founded Solefly.
Price: $9,000
Available Colorways: Black/Orange
photo source: Goat.com
With only 39 ever produced and sold at auction on Ebay, the Just Don BHM Air Jordan 1 is one of the rarest sneakers around. It was designed by American streetwear artist Don Crawley, also known as Don C, to celebrate Black History Month in 2013. The high straps are made of black leather, with an embossed snakeskin featured on the swoosh and strap, which contrasts with the bright orange inner lining. The tongue features the acronym “BHM.”
Did you know
Nike has released 35 Air Jordan designs, excluding colorway variations and retro designs.
Price: $6,901
Available Colorways: Red/Black/Silver
photo source: Ebay via Solecollector.com
As part of their Legends of Summer 2013 tour, Justin Timberlake and Jay Z teamed up with Nike for several exclusive pairs of Air Jordans. The collection featured two styles of Air Jordan 1s, with only 14 of each shoe made to signify the amount of tour stops. The shoes were only available to Timberlake and Jay Z, friends and family, and a few lucky fans who completed a scavenger hunt in the shortest time frame.
Did you know
Michael Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards.
Price: Unknown
Available Colorways: White/Red/Gold
photo source: Solecollector.com
The Jordan brand collaborated with British artist Dave White to create these super limited edition shoes, producing only 23 pairs that were sold at auction. Sales benefitted the WINGS for the Future initiative, a charitable program inspired by Michael Jordan’s passion for education. The program began at Inglewood High School in Los Angeles, establishing the pillars of “education, sport and activity.” The shoe design features White’s signature style, using bold, metallic colors in a paint-splattered pattern.
Did you know
Wings has since established an international scholars program to help breakdown educational barriers.
Price: About $10,000 +
Available Colorways: Multi
photo source: Solecollector.com
Every year, the Jordan brand and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital collaborate to turn children’s shoe designs into reality. Typically, several styles of these shoes are produced and sold to the public, representing the broad range of talent. Thus far, the hospital has raised almost $30 million through the partnership. However, the pandemic affected the shoe designs for this year and, as a result, Nike produced and auctioned off a limited run of 17 shoes featuring several designs from years past.
Did you know
Nike started collaborating with Doernbecher in 2003, bringing in creativity from kids aged eight to 15.
Price: $615,000
Available Colorways: Red/Black/White
photo source: Getty Images via BBC.com
While this style of Air Jordan 1s isn’t rare, this particular pair is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars because they were worn by Michael Jordan himself during an exhibition game in 1985. The shoes’ high mark up is a result of growing interest in sneaker collecting in recent years. The shoes are also notable because, during the game, Jordan threw the ball so hard that he broke the glass backboard.
Did you know
Michael Jordan is one of the NBA’s most decorated players, retiring with the highest scoring average of 30.1ppg.
Price: None
Available Colorways: Blue/White
photo source: Goat.com
Because the Colette “Au Revoir” is not for sale, it is the rarest Air Jordan 1. The Jordan Brand produced the design in honor of Colette, a French streetwear retailer that shut down after 20 years of operation in 2017. The shoes feature Collete’s bright blue and white color scheme and signature dots, as well as the years 1997 and 2017 on either heel to mark the occasion. The sole states, “Au Revoir” in blue text.
Did you know
Colette sold high end streetwear, vintage film and affordable souvenirs all at one popular destination.
