Air Jordans—Old and New—Are Coming Back

The Air Jordan 1 "Black Toe" will hit shelves alongside the first-ever Air Jordan 18 retro.
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Courtesy of Nike

Late last year, Air Jordan announced it would be scaling back production of its retro sneakers to increase the rarity (and theoretically the desirability) of the brand's sneakers. That's because, just a few years ago, the retro kicks that were not too long ago the hottest things in footwear had lost some cachet. At one point in 2017, Adidas even surpassed Jordan Brand in terms of sales. That, alongside the boom in high-fashion sneakers, naturally led to Jordan Brand's reassessment of its strategy. But it doesn't seem like Jordan Brand is bringing things to a screeching halt just yet. That much was made clear when the company unveiled its deep lineup for spring.

Between now and the end of March, eight Air Jordan styles will hit shelves. On the docket: the Air Jordan 1, debuting in two remixed colorways that pay homage to OG colorways like the "Bred" and "Black/Royal," and a wintery version of the Air Jordan 13, done up in black and olive green. The AJ9 and 10 will be back, too. And most notably, the Air Jordan 18—which first debuted during MJ's Wizards tenure in 2002—is getting its first-ever retro on January 22. At a time when it seems like no shoe can be too weird-looking, the Air Jordan 18 is likely the biggest test for the Jordan brand in proving that nostalgia has no limits. After all, not only are these kicks from the post-Bulls Jordan era, but they are arguably one of the strangest-looking Air Jordans ever released. Still, it feels like a canny drop from the Jumpman: Last year saw other late-model Air Jordan sneakers like the 15—a sneaker that was despised upon its initial release in 1999—making a comeback among more adventurous streetwear heads like Bloody Osiris.

Air Jordan 18

Each sneaker will be available at Nike and through third-party retailers. Stay tuned for more info on each release, and check out the full lineup of Air Jordan retro releases for Spring 2018 below.

Air Jordan 1 "Black/Red/White," February 24, $160
Air Jordan 1 "Alternate Royal," March 24, $160
Air Jordan 18 "White/Royal," January 22, $225
Air Jordan 13 "White/Royal," March 3, $190
Air Jordan 9 "Black/Gray," March 10, $190
Air Jordan 10 "Gray," January 27, $190
Air Jordan 10 "Black/White," March 17, $190
Air Jordan 13 "Black/Olive," January 20, $190