Jordan 1 High x Off-White™

This Jordan 1 High x Off-White™ is a highly elegant reimagining of the iconic sneaker by era-defining designer Virgil Abloh. In many ways, it resembles the original design, particularly on the grippy rubber outsole, which here comes completely in white. The concentric rings below the forefoot work together with the lugs under the heel to bring high levels of traction, while the Nike text embossed into the centre emphasises the brand. Above this, the midsole, which has a slightly creamy tinge running through it, contains foam padding and Air cushioning for an incredibly soft step, a feature playfully referred to on the midsole’s lateral side by the bold Air text printed upon it in black.

Upwards of this, aside from a few colourful highlights, the outer is entirely white. This goes for the mesh underlayer, which appears through the toe box, the midfoot, the collar and the bottom of the heel, and the leather overlays positioned in the forefoot and heel. These sections are all connected via precise lines of stitching, most of which have been doubled up for extra durability. Additional stitched effects then show up on the overlay that wraps around the heel. This piece brings a little more textural variation to the sneaker as it moves from white leather on the medial side to a darker-coloured suede on the lateral one. It also creates an offbeat appearance as the white leather section fills its respective flank, while the suede one has been cut away to reveal the underlying mesh on the lateral side. Though it is held down with bands of stitching, it is also lined with tiny holes without any thread running through them – an unconventional aspect that has been carried over onto the collar wrap, which is left floating as a result.

More unique elements can be found over the top of the foot, where the forefoot overlays also hang slightly over the bottom of the white leather eyestay, their edges left unattached. The shoe is supplied with laces in various colours which can be tied over the white tongue as it reaches up towards the top of the high-cut collar. Here, its peak presents exposed foam, as does the topline of the collar, giving the sneaker a handmade feel. A flash of orange branding can be found on the lateral edge of the tongue where a white label has been attached, and the word “Shoelaces” has been printed onto the laces, thus continuing the theme of black Helvetica text on the design. In fact, more of this writing is displayed on the medial sidewall, which goes without the usual swoosh. The lettering names both brands and the shoe while also providing the location of Nike’s headquarters and the release date of the very first AJ1.

Inside, the shoe is also coated in soft white material so that the familiar Nike Air branding stands out in black on the surface of the insole. Back on the outer, debossed effects mark the toe box in the form of circular dimples that emulate the perforation holes found on the classic Jordan 1 design, and the lateral collar, where a set of Air Jordan Wings has been pressed into the white leather. While there is no Nike logo on the medial flank, the lateral sidewall is adorned with a white leather swoosh. Its edges have been left free from stitching, and it is only held down by a small zigzagging line of bright blue thread at the front and a thicker band of blue stitching at the back. Just below its tail end is a vivid orange tag that provides a concluding dash of colour to this graceful Air Jordan 1 collaboration.