Complex Blog » Jordan

Release Reminder: Jordan Sixty Plus (Two Colorways)

Joe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:14:42 +0000

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you’ve noticed that the Jordan fusions/hybrids/mash-ups are getting a lot better. Tomorrow, JB drops two new colorways (hit the jump for the other one) of the Jordan Sixty Plus, a sneaker that pieces together the five sneakers that Michael wore in games when he scored more than 60 points. Yup, although it looks like the Jordan V, cues from the Jordan I, II and VII are also present. Check for the sneakers to hit general release stores tomorrow morning, and also be sure to read our interview with Justin Taylor, the man responsible for designing the sneaker.
$150, www.jumpman23.com

Air Jordan Retro 1 High

Joe — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:38:26 +0000

The release date for these dark navy patent leather Jordan 1s were sketchy on JB’s website, but apparently the sneakers have been trickling into overseas retailers. Don’t be surprised if you see celebrities pairing these with a suit on the red carpet, and the youngins wearing them to the prom and graduation. They’ll hit U.S retailers in a few weeks, but scoop them now HERE for $187.

Air Jordan Winterized Spiz’ike Boot (Availble Now)

Joe — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:00:56 +0000

If you were a fan of the Air Jordan Winterized Spiz’ike Boot when you saw pictures of the shoes hit the Internet, you’re going to love ‘em even more when you see them in person. We saw this black-on-black colorway that recently dropped on the shelves this morning at Foot Locker, and besides the rugged sole, these look exactly like that all-black Spiz’ike sneaker you’ve been hoping JB would drop. Trust us, it’s the sleeper boot of the year. Get them now at retailers for $185.
www.jumpman23.com

My Sneaker Essentials: Carmelo Anthony

Joe — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:06:38 +0000

While some people have fallen off of the Jordan Brand team (you know who you are) Carmelo Anthony’s place on the roster is more solid than ever. With the NBA season starting next month, Melo and the Denver Nuggets will be looking to build on the playoff success they had last year. And when he takes the court, he’ll lace up his sixth signature sneaker, the Jordan Melo M6.

The sneaker, which Carmelo explains is made for on-court performance as well as off-court stunting, includes design cues like the the Baltimore harbor skyline (Melo’s hometown) on the outsole as well as AU79/08, the atomic number for gold that celebrates Anthony and team U.S.A’s Gold medal win in Beijing last year. While Melo was doing press for the new shoe that will trickle into some stores this week, we spoke to him about his 5 favorite kicks of all time, as part of our new column “My Sneaker Essentials.” Hit the jump to see his fave-5 and to get more info on the new Jordan Melo M6…

AIR JORDAN IX

CARMELO ANTHONY: The Jordan IX are my favorite. That’s one of the shoes that I played in, in high school. I never could afford a pair of Jordans so those were one of the first pairs of Jordans I played in because our team was sponsored by Jordan at Oak Hill Academy. I had a special pair. When Quentin Richardson was with the Clippers he sent me a pair of his IX’s because he was on Jordan Brand. They didn’t match the uniform though [laughs], but they were an exclusive.

AIR JORDAN II

CARMELO ANTHONY: It’s one of the shoes that you can wear off the court, on the court, to a wedding, wherever. Also I had a chance to play in them in my second year in the NBA. I had the special white/carolina blue and yellow colorway.

NIKE AIR PENNY 1

CARMELO ANTHONY: I’m a big Penny Hardaway sneaker fan. I like the original Penny Hardaways, not the new models. I was young when I got them, and I could actually afford a pair of Penny’s.

NIKE AIR FORCE MAX (BARKLEY)

CARMELO ANTHONY: I like the old school Barkley’s. The all-black and silver ones or the black and grey with the strap. I still get them when they re-release. I buy sneakers everyday, whenever I’m out and about and I see a pair I’m going to buy them.

NIKE AIR MORE UPTEMPO (PIPPEN)

CARMELO ANTHONY: I was real young when they came out and on the team that I played for, all the older guys wore them. They all bought their shoes and sneakers. At that time they were the hottest shoes in the street.

————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
JORDAN MELO M6

AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE, October 1. for $120.
————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

PREVIOUSLY: My Sneaker Essentials: Wale

Daily Style & Design News: September 18, 2009

bfred — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:17:31 +0000

We love varsity jackets this fall, and Jordan just dropped this Hall of Fame-edition leather letterman. [Freshnessmag]

Suryummy’s “Laser Cave” might be the coolest art installation ever. [MAKE Magazine]

Pharrell shows off the first of three Blueprint 3 T-shirts from BBC. [High Snobiety]

Audi blinds the crowd at the Frankfurt Auto Show with their chromed-out A8. Stuntin’! [Born Rich]

The good folks at DQM unveil their WaxWear Coaches Jackets. Perfect for the urban hunter! [DQM]

Adidas vs. Puma: The 60 year beef finally ends this Monday. [SlamxHype]

Jordan Sixty Plus Laney (+ Bonus Justin Taylor Interview)

Joe — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:45:49 +0000

Tomorrow, Jordan Brand drops (as a general release) the Sixty Plus—a sneaker that takes inspiration from the five shoes MJ wore in games where he scored more than 60 points. The sneaker that looks like the Jordan V to the un-trained eye, takes cues from the Jordan I, II, V, and VII and combines them into one solid hybrid. For our August/September issue we talked to Justin Taylor, the designer of the sneaker, as well as Josiah Lake who is the Director of Jordan Footwear to get a more in-depth understanding of the sneaker. To read their thoughts on the shoe, and to also see the breakdown of the models included in the sneaker, read on below… $150, www.jumpman23.com

Justin Taylor, Designer of the Sixty Plus:
“The shoe is a combination of the I, II, V, and VII: the four shoes MJ wore in the five 60+ games. You’ll immediately recognize the heel-piece and the eyelet from the II, but there are other pieces that are more interpretive. You can see that we took the wings logo to the tongue in a new way and took the collar of the VII and reinterpreted it.”

Josiah Lake, Director of Jordan Footwear:
“The remixes—this is my fourth—are harder than people think; it’s not just a cut-and-paste mash-up. All Jordans are designed as performance shoes, even this one, so we have to keep that in mind. The [Jordan] brand is strongest when the shoes that we’re making are a combination of lifestyle and performance, so these are wear-tested before they go to market. The reality is that shoes like this are coveted, collectible sneakers, so the last thing the kids are thinking about doing is going and scuffing them up. But they have the ability to do that if the time comes.”

Taylor: “In the initial design process, I always work with hand sketches. [For the Sixty Plus] I started with the shoes on my desk and drew pencil sketches. These shoes don’t necessarily work together naturally; there’s a good amount of artistic interpretation on our part. But when we first tested them, they tested well, so finishing the design was a finessing of the aesthetics to elevate the storytelling behind the project. The first samples didn’t have the heel piece from the II. That came later, more of a design element over a performance element.”

Lake: “The goal of the remix sneakers [Dub Zero, Spiz’ike, Six Rings] is a vehicle to tell the story of the Jordan legacy, a ‘history lesson in a sneaker.’ You might be intrigued by the familiar elements of the shoe, but the second part is the opportunity to introduce MJ’s legacy to people who weren’t old enough to watch it when it originally happened. We’re leading into MJ’s Hall of Fame induction, so we want to celebrate the aspects that made him exciting to watch—a big part of that was his ability to score.”

THE BREAKDOWN OF THE JORDAN MODELS FEATURED IN THE SIXTY PLUS

JORDAN’S 5 SIXTY PLUS GAMES:

• CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE COMPLEX SNEAKER POSTS!

Supra Cruzier (Available Now)

Joe — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:58:48 +0000

Supra made the Cruzier hot by cranking out the low-profile skate shoe in Jordan-inspired colorways. Remember these grapes, and these Jordan IV takeoffs from last season? Now the brand is back with a colorway that homages the Aqua VIIIs a favorite among JB heads and the award show stage-crasher Kanye West. This new colorup of the Cruizers that we previewed a few weeks ago, just went on sale at Factory 413, and expect the Suprano that uses the same scheme to drop in a few weeks.

Daily Style & Design News: July 29, 2009

Bradley — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:28:14 +0000

Ah, Germans. Great idea, but you shouldn’t have let this ad out of the BBDO offices. [Ads of the World]

“I feel like you’re stalking me.” Jeff Staple shows his Airwalk collection to Bongo Boy (?). [Youtube]

Jordan x H1N1 “Flu Game” 12s. [Nice Kicks]

Original Penguin x K2 x looking uber cool as you shoosh down the slopes this winter. [High Snobiety]

Alyasha and the Apha team put up a preview of the new collection. Check it. [Alphanumeric]

Nike and TRUE SF are re-releasing the shop’s slept on Clerks Pack Humara. [Hypebeast]

New Converse shoelace chairs. Cool! [Slam x Hype]

Rating the Jordan Campus Chukka Vs. The Competition

Bradley — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:47:19 +0000

On June 1, the Jordan Brand will release the sneaker pictured above to boutiques around the country. It’s called the Campus Chukka, and at a $110 retail price point, the sneaker is an off-court shoe that’s going to go head-to-head with the emerging lifestyle sneaker category that’s currently taking over the streets.

Most people that run lifestyle footwear houses (ALIFE, Gourmet, Supra, Vans) have some Jordan fandom tucked away on their reference walls, but who knew that they’d be facing competition from the top in the next ten days? Would you buy the Campus Chukka over the Supra TK Societys or Gourmet’s spring hotness? Hit the jump to see the sneakers on the market that most closely resemble the Campus Chukka, and compare notes and vote on how you’ll blow left of your post-Memorial Day cash…

Jordan Chukka vs. Supra TK Society

There’s no denying Jordan has been holding down that internal-lacing technique since the 13s, but yo, TK’s crew killed this one. You can get the Societys for $140 at Factory 413, vs. the Campus Chukka at $110. What’s really good?
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Jordan Campus Chukka vs. Gourmet L’UNO

Jordan and Gourmet are like two gangster kids playing in a sandbox full of gunpowder. Gourmet started by taking “inspired” J silos and making them in lifestyle colorways and materials, and after a little of ye olde cease-and-desist, Jordan is coming to beat the Italians at their own game. But what do you think? You can cop the L’UNOs on the Gourmet site for $75—not too shabby.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Jordan Chukka vs. Alife Everybody High Afghan

If anyone is going to be rolling up their sleeves on this one, we’re guessing it’s the ALIFE dudes. The scrappy NYCers are gonna say that they own this midsole. What do you think? You can grab the Everybody High Afghans at HUF now for $110. Looks like a toss-up.
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Jordan Campus Chukka vs. Vans Chukka Boot

Vans invented the Chukka (we think), so if you’re going to go classic, this is where you go. At $55 on the Vans site, the O.G. surf/skate brand seems to be killing everyone, but what do you think? Is the suede Jordan version better?
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Jordan Campus Chukka vs. Nike SB Stefan Janowski

Jordan vs. Nike has always been a tale of brand-on-brand cannibalism (Jordan Fusions anyone?), but what can you do? It’s better to compete with yourself than an unworthy opponent, right? The Janowskis are deck shoe-inspired in their own way, so maybe you want to cop both (grab Stefan’s shoe at Val Surf for $75). But which is better?
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Daily Style & Design News: May 18, 2009

Bradley — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:49:11 +0000

Check out the new Invisible:Man collection, available now, at the New York flagship. [High Snobiety]

Supreme’s new Malcom McClaren collection is dope. [Slam x Hype]

So it looks like the all black 3M “Toro Bravo” Jordan Vs are available separately in Europe. In the US you have to buy the two pack, which is more expensive. Yay math, yay flying to London to get a pair of sneakers. [Sneaker News]

Mos Def shows off the new Neighborhood collection. [High Snobiety]

DQM, Kicks, and Huf bring forth 3Feet High part II. [Mash Kulture]

If you live in NYC, go check out the new J. Crew Men’s Shop. Really. [Freshness]

Daily Style & Design News: April 9, 2009

Bradley — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:36:10 +0000

Flight Club and Def Jam Recordings created this tee to kick off Def Jam’s 25th anniversary. The tee is being seeded to Def Jam artists and a select list of cultural movers and shakers tonight (secret party!). If you’re not on the invite list, be on the lookout for collaborative product at retail soon.

The Ed Banger supergroup (Justice, SoMe, Busy P, etc.) has a slew of T-Shirts on a new site called coolcats.fr. And it’s French! Hypebeast has the lookbook. [Hypebeast]

Jordan is cooking in the kitchen for all the sk8er bois. [Sneaker News]

Sweet Loopwheeler totes. [LW News]

Just in case you didn’t see the whole K. West crew on South Park, here’s the link. Even the boy Chris Julian made the bit! Hilarity. [South Park Studios]

Fragment x Incase – neon pink. Between all the Hiroshi stuff and Andre going nuts on Belvedere, this might be the pop tone of next year. Go in. [High Snobiety]

Dame Dash Range Rover – who says this guy is broke? [Vagant]

Oh, and the Air Stab is available for iD. [Kicks on Fire]

Get to Union L.A. and get a grip of awesome-ness on the cheap this weekend. [UNDFTD blog]

Daily Style & Design News: April 7, 2009

Bradley — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:33:38 +0000

U.K. design firm Creative Review creates a series of workplace posters for their office, and yours. Oh art kids. [Creative Review]

The new Visivim FBTs come in colors for spring, look for limited US.. availability (read UNDFTD and Union only) in upcoming weeks. [Hypebeast]

Air Jordan XI samples with “45″ on the back are on eBay. At $3000+, this is a part of sneaker culture we have yet to grasp. Go in if it’s your thing. [Sneaker News]

In these recession-era times, you might want to downgrade your iPhone to fit in with your co-workers or avoid getting robbed on the bus. [Gizmodo]

New T-Shirts from Australian brand Tonite. [Mash Kulture]

If you live in Seattle, ditch the Supreme shit and rep your city. New Goods 5 panels. [High Snobiety]

Check this mosh pit retrospective by photographer Dan Witz. [Design You Trust]

Converse x UNDFTD Poor Man’s Weapon in olive. Dopeness. [Sneaker Files]

Nike Sportswear M-65 in cyan. [Marcus Troy]

The KAWS Companion keychains aren’t sold out yet, somehow. Get over there! [KAWSONE]

Release Reminder: Jordan 2009

Joe — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:32:35 +0000

Tomorrow marks the release of the first colorway of the Air Jordan 2009. This black/metallic gold colorup of the sneaker that takes inspiration from fencing will be a tough get, only releasing to select stores (we hear 23 pairs to 23 select stores). If the hunt wasn’t enough to make you go nuts, once you do track them down, you’ll have to shell out a hefty $230 to take them home.

Also, if you haven't already, check out our in-depth interview with the designer of the 2009 series, Jason Mayden, where he breaks down the process and inspiration for the sneakers.

Release Reminder: Jordan True Flight

Joe — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:30:42 +0000

If you have Countdown Package fatigue, and you always wanted to get your hands on a pair of Jordan VII’s, you're in luck. Sort of. Tomorrow three colorups of the “Jordan True Flight” drop, a silhouette that's basically the Jordan VII with a twist. The “True Flight” takes the same sole of the VII, but is cut a little higher, and features improved technology since the O.G make-up that dropped back in 1992. If you're feeling them, they'll be available everywhere tomorrow a.m, and will retail for $140. Check the other two colorways below…
www.jumpman23.com

Lauren Budd Gets Us Over The Hump

Joe — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:52:39 +0000

Like all the other sites that posted these pics today, we really don't know who Lauren Budd is. All we know is she's fun to look at, and you should get familiar. [Bastardly]

Want to know more about the dude in the Jordan lab? Read this interview with D'Wayne Edwards, the Footwear Design Director of Jordan Brand. [Nice Kicks]

Uncle Murda freestyles for Vlad TV. [Nah Right]

Uh oh, don't bring up trade rumors to LaDainian Tomlinson, he'll get tight. [SportsIllustrated]

MMA fighter Rich Franklin talks about going from teacher to trained ass-kicker. [Asylum]

Daily Style & Design News: December 23, 2008

Joe — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 21:52:26 +0000

Our friends over at KCDC skateshop sat down with In4mation design heavyweight Rhandy Tambio to talk about the brand's new G-Shock collaboration, as well as the history of the In4mants. [KCDC]

Levi's met Mastermind in Japan with this denim collabo that is so hard to get Magic Marketplace crooners can’t even call in favors. [Hypebeast]

If you didn't get a chance to cop one of the 529 pairs of the Jordan XX3 black/red that released today, just hit up eBay and piss away your life savings.[SOLEblvd]

If Nike Sportswear didn't make a believer out of you, the homie up north tested the M65 Tech Pack, and it passed with flying colors. [Marcus Troy]

The Hundreds gave underground king Bun-B his own limited t-shirt (150 pieces) that will release exclusively to Premium Goods in Houston. Shouts to Bun.
[The Hundreds]

Jordan Countdown Pack 11/12

Joe — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:51:27 +0000

Jordan Brand really knows how to give a swift kick to your pockets right before you have to penny-pinch and spend paper on others. In the heart of X-Mas shopping season, JB will drop the 11/12 countdown package tomorrow (12/20/08) that contains the Black/Red XI'one of the most coveted J’s of all time.

MJ debuted the XI in the 1995-96 season, and as Nice Kicks so precisely points out, scored 40 or more points in nine games while wearing the patent-tipped bangers. This same colorway was retroed in 2001, and sold out quicker than T.I did for N.B.C. If the holy grail of the black/red XI wasn't enough to cop, look at the other shoe'the black/white Jordan XII'included in the pack below. Set the alarm, it’s going to be an early and expensive morning.
$310, www.jumpman23.com

To purchase, check stores like Footlocker, Finishline, Eastbay, UNDFTD and your local mom and pop sneaker
slingers.

Penelope Cruz Hits The Beach

Joe — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:02:06 +0000

While we're freezing our balls off, Penelope Cruz is frolicking around St. Bart's in a bathing suit. Oh well, at least we get to look at the pics. [Bastardly]

Incase is killing it this year, meet the man behind the brand’s creative direction, Damon Way of DC Shoes fame. [Complex]

Williamsburg welcomes Jay-Z with open arms in the latest from ItsTheReal. [Nah Right]

The skittles kids are going to love this championship colorway of the Jordan 6 (Six) Rings. [Kicks On Fire]

Check out this review for Ninjatown for the Nintendo DS. [Das Gamer]

Having fun with Corona's, and it's only Monday. [Double Viking]

The Rockstar x Jordan Contest Winners Are…

Joe — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 20:07:02 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, we posted a contest giving away a limited edition Rockstar Games and Jordan Brand package (see the original contest here). In the box-set was a Jordan Classic 87 and a copy of Rockstar Games' recently-released Midnight Club: Los Angeles. After holding a contest to come up with the best name for the Jordan 24, we sifted through 317 entries and picked two winners.

DRUM ROLL The two winners who we felt came up with the most innovative names were…

Winner #1: xxcoreyxx, who offered this:

Air Jordan Sistine
The name is derived from Leonardo Di Vinci's famous painting that was ultimately left unfinished but is still considered one of his greatest works. Like Jordans I-XX3 legacy, many people thought the XX3 should be the last shoe to correspond with his famous number but other Jordan fans still see the Jordan endowment as unfinished and should continue. Parallel to Di Vinci's work, Jordans legacy is still incomplete but still revered as unpresidented and the greatest of all basketball footwear and shoe technology much like Di Vinci's work was to the Renaissance and modern day.

and:

Winner #2: Big Rob, who offered this:

Air Jordan Epiphany
The term is used in either a philosophical or literal sense to signify that the claimant has “found the last piece of the puzzle and now sees the whole picture”
I think this would be a well suited name for the XXIV (If there will be one :D)

CONGRATS!

Street Detail: The Cool Kids NYC Show

treats — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:52:30 +0000

NAME: MIKEY ROCKS (left)

T-SHIRT: Fruition

PIN: My friend Erica designed it for me.

JEANS: Levi's

What rapper could you beat in a fistfight? I can't beat 50 Cent.

What's the last album you purchased? Beat Konducta Vol 5-6: Dil Cosby Suite by Madlib. I want to work with him. I'm trying.

NAME: CHUCK INGLISH (right)

JACKET: Maharishi

SHOES: Jordan Spizike

T-SHIRT: Alife NYC

What rapper could you beat in a fistfight? Mike (Mikey Rocks).

What sneaker needs to be retro-ed? Jordan 1's

[Click here to see more street detail subjects from the Cool Kids show, including Mick Boogie, Mickey Factz and more!]

All photos taken by Jaeki Cho