Designer Brett Golliff Imagines the Air Jordan LAB Series

Designer Brett Golliff wonders what other mash-ups are possible for the Jordan LAB series.

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by Brett Golliff (@bgolliff

The Air Jordan Lab series isn’t just about celebrating the heritage of the brand. It is about celebrating the vast materials the Jordan Brand has brought to the forefront of sneakers. I wanted to explore what other classic Air Jordans could be if they received the LAB treatment. Some materials are subtler and some are bolder but all are worthy of the Air Jordan moniker. Jordan Brand has taken this and implied its "LAB" system - first seen on the Air Jordan 3LAB5, which gave the Air Jordan V the attributes of the Air Jordan III. With this idea in mind, I wondered what other Air Jordan mash-ups were possible. An Air Jordan XI that had the features of an Air Jordan IV? Or an Air Jordan II that looks like a XVII? They might sound like crazy ideas, but here's how I imagined the Jordan LAB Series.

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Air Jordan 18Lab13

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The Air Jordan 18LAB13 celebrates the use of performance luxury materials from the Air Jordan XVIII. The XIII is naturally a sophisticated pattern. To help elevate that pattern more, the 18LAB13 is constructed solely from rich suede with a deep hand.

 

 

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Air Jordan 13Lab18

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The Air Jordan 18LAB13 took the rich and subtle qualities of the XVIII to a new level by being dipped in suede. The 13LAB18 takes a subtle detail of the XIII and exploits it to dramatic effect. The entire upper of the shoe is one giant hologram that was inspired by the single hologram that is featured in the collar of the XIII. The colors flow from the spectrum of green, red, and blue giving a very bold and dynamic look to the shoe.

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Air Jordan 19Lab15

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The Air Jordan XV brought woven leather and woven meshes to the Air Jordan line. To build off of that heritage, the 19LAB15 is constructed from an arraying weave that was the premise for the Air Jordan XIX. The weave goes from dense to thin to provide flexibility, tension, and most importantly graphic change.

 

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Air Jordan 15Lab19

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The Air Jordan 19LAB15 takes weaving technology to the next level of performance, then the Air Jordan 15LAB19 takes weaving to the next level of luxury. The entire upper is woven from leather. The weave arrays out at varying depths of thickness and also blends color in its transition. The bottom of the weave is black to blend in with the midsole and then gradates to white as flows up the upper of the shoe. Creating a bold and dynamic color blocking.

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Air Jordan 21Lab12

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Inspired by the sophisticated manufacturing processes that led to such a clean and technical design for the Air Jordan XXI, the Air Jordan 21LAB12 features a suede upper with a ballistic mesh forefoot that combines luxury and performance materials. To bring the whole concept together, the whole shoe features fine mold that is inspired by the forefoot fine mold from the XXI. The graphic on the 21LAB12 combines the graphic from the XXI, but is orientated to follow the original aesthetic pattern of the XII.

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Air Jordan 11Lab4

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The Air Jordan IV introduced nubuck to the world of sneakers, and the Air Jordan XI introduced multiple groundbreaking materials - one of them being Cordura Nylon. A lightweight, flexible and durable textile that allows the foot to breathe while be protected. The material has become iconic for it's use on the XI and it now becomes the sole material used on the Air Jordan 11LAB4.

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Air Jordan 4Lab11

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If the Air Jordan 11LAB4 was all Cordura Nylon, then the Air Jordan 4LAB11 only has one material it could be: nubuck. The XI has long been rumored to be receiving a full nubuck upper but it has never come to fruition. I think it makes sense as provides a more subtle look to the personality of the XI as opposed to always the glossy side with the patent leather.

 

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Air Jordan 20Lab9

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The Air Jordan XX was not just a celebration of the brand hitting the twenty-year milestone, it was also a celebration of Michael's new love for motorcycle racing. The XX featured a subtle detail on the heel. Six metal arches represented the six championships Michael won while in the NBA. Those arches were colored to match the burning of a titanium exhaust system on high performance motorcycles. The Air Jordan 9LAB20 takes that burning to a new level as the midsole is painted with that burning effect. The upper is inspired by the cast iron and anodized finishes of the motor to bring the whole concept full circle.

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Air Jordan 1KOLabVI

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The Air Jordan I featured an outdoor version that was all canvas with hits of leather known as the AJIKO. The KO celebrated durability and comfort. The Air Jordan VI was constructed perfectly to adapt the leather and canvas blend as the heel provides a key area for leather since it features molded details. The rest of the shoe is canvas to reduce weight.

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Air Jordan 17Lab2+

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Playing off the rich and exotic material selection for the plus version of the Air Jordan XVII, the Air Jordan 17LAB2 features a full alligator skin upper. The alligator skin takes the standard Air Jordan II to the next level as it ups the ante on the already exquisite lizard-skin construction upper.

 


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