Jordan 1 High x Off-White™

This eccentric Jordan 1 High x Off-White™ is Virgil Abloh’s take on the iconic original, which the legendary designer reinvented via a series of standout details. Its tonal layout mirrors that of the classic UNC colourway, which this sneaker is also known as, though some like to call it University Blue as well. As such, white acts as the foundation and Dark Powder Blue provides the highlights. This latter tone is a light shade of blue with a hint of teal about it that honours Jordan’s time at the University of North Carolina. It first appears on the outsole, where it works its way through the lugged heel and past the Nike-branded midfoot, before filling out the concentric circles that facilitate easy rotation in the forefoot and the star-shaped nodes on the toe. Above this lies a white midsole with a slightly creamy tinge running through it. As suggested by the bold black text on its lateral side, Nike’s Air cushioning technology has been added to the midsole, where it sits alongside plush foam to make each step as comfortable as possible.

Meanwhile, the upper has been adorned with all sorts of intriguing features to give it Abloh’s signature deconstructed look. Upon the plain white base layer are several Dark Powder Blue overlays, one wrapping around the toe, with two more sat just behind it on either side of the eyestay. Fine white stitching marks the edges of these, though the tops of the latter overlays have not been sewn down and thus float over the bottom of the eyestay, which itself is Dark Powder Blue. The same tone coats the collar wrap and the lower part of the heel. This last piece has been uncovered by an unusually shaped white overlay that stretches in two lines towards the heel, one beginning at the midsole, the other emerging from beneath the eyestay. Its colouration and material construction actually changes at the heel, going from pure white leather on the medial side to a more beige-coloured suede on the lateral flank. Double lines of blue stitching skirt its edges, and other holes seem to have been made to accommodate this thread but have been left unsewn.

More eye-catching embroidery marks the top of the white tongue as two blue lines of thread move across it from side to side. On the lateral part of this feature, they stop at a white label that contains radiant orange Nike branding for an offbeat but appealing splash of colour. The sneaker comes with different sets of laces, including one in this vivid tone and another in Dark Powder Blue, each one decorated with Helvetica text that reads “Shoelaces”. At the top of the eyestay, these can be threaded through the additional eyelets in the collar wrap, which has not been attached to the white collar, thus leaving it floating. A pair of white Air Jordan Wings has been printed onto the lateral side of this overlay, bringing a more conventional element to this quirky redesign.

Elsewhere, there is exposed foam on the tongue and collar, giving the sneaker a handcrafted feel. Inside, Dark Powder Blue can be found once more on the lining, before the insole switches to white, a set of black Nike Air branding printed onto its surface. Back on the outer, the shoe’s flanks deliver more unexpected effects. The medial sidewall foregoes the use of a swoosh and has black text printed onto it, including the names of the collaborating brands, the model of the shoe and the year it was first released, and finally the location of Nike’s headquarters. On the opposite flank, there is no text, but the floating Dark Powder Blue swoosh is a unique variation on the classic look. It is attached to the forefoot overlay by a short zigzag of orange stitching, while its tail end has been sewn down with a thicker band of this orange thread, which sits over a tag in the same colour. The final distinctive detail on this remarkable collaborative sneaker is a characteristic red zip tie that has been attached to the laces to complete the shoe’s one-of-a-kind look.