Jordan Brand Air Jordan XXI Basketball Shoes

The Third Decade of the Jordan Sneaker Legacy Begins

"It's gotta be the shoes." Even before that phrase was embedded in a gneration of young, impressionable basketball players, the allure of the Air Jordan was taking over the world. In the mid and late 80's, Michael Jordan's star continued to rise at a meteoric rate in the NBA. As a result his marketability also rose, with new ads for companies like Gatorade, McDonalds, and Hanes. But one of his biggest developments to come from Jordan's success was his partnership with Nike to produce the single most successful sneaker line in history, the Air Jordan.

Whether it was posters, in-store advertising, or commercials with the likes of Spike Lee and Marvin the Martian, the Air Jordan sneaker was one of the easiest products in basketball to market. Not only was it a stylish shoe which produced different colorways than the normal two-toned sneakers, but it had the best form of advertising that was possible. Everytime Jordan would score a juper, or take it strong to the hole, the shoes were in the spotlight. Kids wanted the shoes that he was wearing because they wanted to emulate him in every way possible.

The latest edition, the Air Jordan XXI, had been released earlier in the year and I was finally able to get my hands (and feet) on a pair of these shoes, not only tto play in but to wear fashionably around.

The Basics

The newest Jordans, when released, came in a single color scheme, white/black/red. As with most Air Jordans, the Bulls team colors reign supreme. This newest generation of the Air Jordan caught my attention in looks in many ways. This was a departure from some of the more recent shoes which took into effect some suede and pure leather construction and went back to a sneaker form. There is still some suede on the shoe, but it's more of a perfect accent as opposed to the full construction of the shoe. The body is seamless, which makes it look a lot smoother and in turn more fashionable, allowing for the shoe to look more like a simple shoe while still having it's technological effect.