Nike introduced the first Air Jordan basketball shoe in 1985.
The Air Jordan line was created for basketball player Michael Jordan and began with the Air Jordan 1. Designed by Peter Moore, the shoe combined Nike branding with a bold color scheme and became important both on the court and in popular culture.
The Air Jordan 1 is often remembered through its Chicago, Bred and Royal colorways, but the line eventually expanded into many models, apparel products and collaborations. “Air Jordan” identifies Nike’s basketball and lifestyle brand, while “Jordan Brand” later became a broader Nike division.
The 1985 launch helped establish the modern athlete-signature-sneaker model. Its influence reached far beyond basketball, making Air Jordan one of the central foundations of sneaker collecting and streetwear culture.