Everything You Need to Know About the Air Jordan XX9

The XX9 was official unveiled today. Here's everything about it worth knowing.

April 17, 2014

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It's official. There's a new addition to the flagship Jordan Brand franchise. The Air Jordan XX9 was unveiled today in New York and 'heads got a peek at what's next for the storied basketball sneaker line. Every time the Jumpman debuts a new technology platform, there's always a mixed reaction to the sneakers' radical designs. The 29th iteration of the Air Jordan evolves the brand's Flight Plate midsole technology, while introducing a new woven upper for performance.

At the press junket, Tinker Hatfield took the stage with Michael Jordan, and spoke about the process of making the XX9. Before you make that decision to cop or not, here's Everything You Need to Know About the Air Jordan XX9.

There are two versions of the Air Jordan XX9

Two colorways of the sneaker will drop this fall. One colorway is a Black/White-Gym Red that features elephant patter on the upper, and the other is Black/Team Orange-Dark Grey with an accentuated Jumpman logo.

It has the world's first-ever "performance-woven upper."

Michael Jordan loves the finer things in life, and this has always been integrated into his signature sneakers. The XX9's upper is inspired by Italian craftsmen and "provides structure, support, interior comfort and exterior abrasion resistance."

"This year, our inspiration and challenge to ourselves was to create the best performance basketball shoe ever—and I think the XX9 and the performance-woven upper pay that off," Tinker Hatfield said.

But it's not just about looks with the XX9. The upper is designed to "enhance natural motion" for the wearer—and fit like a sock—all while becoming more durable.

A woven car air bag helped inspire the sneaker's upper.

"Day 1 was someone bringing a woven air bag from an automobile. I'm going, 'Why don't we use that in a basketball shoe?'" Hatfield said.

Tinker Hatfield didn't know how the Air Jordan XX9 was going to happen.

"This was a new process, I didn't even know how it was going to be made. It was fun to do everything different," Hatfield said.

Tinker Hatfield had a hard time sketching the sneaker out.

Tinker usually starts his initial designs on an iPad, but because of the complexity of the materials they used on the Air Jordan XX9, Tinker had to physically sketch his ideas onto a 3D shell. "I couldn't draw it right on a flat screen," Hatfield said.

The same machines that make the XX9's upper are used to make ties.

#menswear takes a new meaning.

The design process of the Air Jordan XX9 took over two years.

Tinker Hatfield first showed Michael Jordan what the XX9 would be made of at MJ's dining room table.

"He's not my wife, but he's close," Michael Jordan said about Tinker. Guess he eats where he eats.

Russell Westbrook has been testing and wearing the sneaker since January.

So, that's why he was in this commercial. Maya Moore got her pair this week, too.

The upper of the sneaker is actually made in Italy.

It's then flown to China where the rest of the sneaker is made and assembled.

Tinker Hatfield wanted a plaid upper.

The design team, unfortunately, couldn't make it work. For a compromise, they incorporated plaid to make a new herringbone pattern on the outsole. The dimensions of the lines reference the numbers in Michael Jordan's career: 23, 45, and six - for his collection of championship rings.

There was a "plan B" sneaker.

Unsure about being able to make the one-piece woven material on the Air Jordan XX9 work in time for Nike's production deadline, Tinker designed another version of the shoe with a more traditional upper. He said, "I got worried that we weren't going to be able to finish this shoe on time and have it wear tested like all Jordan brand shoes are."

Tinker Hatfield believes the Air Jordan XX9 is in the same league as the XI.

"The Jordan XI was my favorite design. It was always one of our biggest leaps forward. The XX9 is in that league since the XI. It's my opinion," Hatfield said.

The Flight Plate got enhanced on the XX9, too.

The Flight Plate was first introduced on the Air Jordan XX8. This year, the Flight Plate has been upgraded through the use of a Pebax moderator plate, which, in turn, makes Zoom Air cushioning more responsive. The heel-to-toe transition will become smoother than the XX8.

"The flight plate for the XX8 was a new concept, it worked well. But once it's out at the market a while, you see ways to improve it. The transition from heel to toe wasn't as smooth," Hatfield said.