By Air Max 270, Designed by Bruce Kilgore, the Air Ship was the first basketball shoe donned by Jordan as an NBA pro in 1984. These particular trainers graced the court in the fifth game of Jordan’s rookie season and represent not only the beginning of Jordan’s illustrious sporting career, but the start of Air Jordan as we know it. Jordan’s signature line of shoes and clothing, which he started with Nike back in ’84, has seldom waned in popularity.The Air Ship was designed by Bruce Kilgore—the same man behind the Air Force 1—and at first glance, Kilgore’s design language, as well as then-Nike creative director Peter Moore’s, is all over the Air Ship.
In somewhat reductive terms, the Nike Air Ship was kind of an Nike Air Force 1 minus the iconic strap. There was the high-top design, the leather upper, the Swoosh, the thick rubber sole with “Nike” in raised lettering (which is “Air” on Air Force 1s), and, put simply, the same overall styling. They also, of course, had Nike’s then two-year-old Air bubble inserted into the sole unit. In that regard, if it weren’t for its place in history as Jordan’s first on-court kicks, the Air Ship doesn’t really stand out. Ultimately, however, this is a case of a shoe being overshadowed and bookended by two truly legendary kicks—even if the Air Ship ultimately has importance to Nike, Michael Jordan and Jordan Brands’ stories.
This Air Jordan 1 Mid Multi Swoosh is a representation of the golden era of basketball.Dressed in a Barely Grape, Fire Pink, Regency Purple, and Hyper Crimson color scheme.This low-top Air Jordan 1 features a premium leather base with Pink corduroy material on the toes and heels. Crimson covers the Swooshes and Jumpman logos completed with a speckled laces.