Breaking Down the Differences: Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC’ 2025 Vs. 2015

Out of the eight OG colourways that took flight in 1985, the ‘Bred’ and ‘Chicago’ have become the stuff of legend. But here at Sneaker Freaker, we’re flying the flag for the mighty – and often underrated – ‘UNC’. Inspired by the University of North Carolina ( alma mater), this AJ1 represents the GOAT’s time as a Tar Heels don. Over the years, have dipped into the UNC well dozens of times, utilising the many MJ signatures as canvases for that sweet Tar Heels blue. This May will see the next iteration of the Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC’, marking the icon's third resurrection.

Ever since imagery first leaked of the 2025 rendition, punters have been split on the changes. In order to settle it all ahead of the May 10 drop, we’ve broken down the differences between the 2015 and 2025 Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC’!

First, a Brief History

The Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC’ released in the mid-80s under the official moniker of ‘Dark Powder Blue’, and sat alongside eight other colourways including the ‘Bred’, ‘Chicago’, ‘Royal’, ‘Neutral Grey’, White/Black’, ‘White/Blue’, and ‘Black Toe’. Of all these palettes, the ‘UNC’ in particular cast its eye back to MJ's college past - while the other colourways nodded to the hues of the Chicago Bulls, Jordan’s then-team.

MJ famously came out of the freshman gates with a stellar season which included a championship-winning shot against Georgetown University. Since then, Jordan Brand have made a note to douse all of their top models in that unmistakable ‘Dark Powder Blue’ and white. However for the AJ1, Beaverton have used the colourway sparingly – only a small handful of retros mimic the original.

After their initial release, it wasn’t until 2003 that the first remake touched down. Twelve years further on the ‘UNC’ arrived again in OG specs, with the Off-White collaborative variation to follow in 2018. Now, a decade after the last true retro, Jordan Brand will resurrect the ‘UNC’ as part of their ‘Reimagined’ series.

Colour Crazy

Jordan Brand are the uncontested experts when it comes to getting their colourways correct, but for the most recent Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC’, they've uncharacteristically missed the mark. Historically (and according to many sneakerheads), the ‘UNC’ colour has never truly matched the OG – the critics attest it is too bright. This was the same complaint levelled at the 2018 Off-Whites, the 2015 retro, and now this May’s version, too. Having said that, we’ll cut them some slack – the colours looking slightly off is mostly due to the ‘Reimagined’ aged vibes rather than an out-and-out error. But when comparing visually, we much prefer the tones of the 2015 pair.

Faux-Aged Vs. New

As this fresh ‘UNC’ is part of the ‘Reimagined’ series, Jordan Band have switched-up their approach to those of previous retros.

In the past, reimagined pairs have seen slight material or colourway overhauls. For this ‘UNC’, Jordan Brand have chosen to incorporate artificial aged details. SF's opinion that faux-vintage and pre-distressed sneakers make no sense is already on record – so our negative bias could be showing. Nevertheless, there are a plethora of new changes that make the 2025 variation look like it’s aged ten years. First is the leather base layer, which has been slightly yellowed and makes the 2015 look stark white. The 2025 also employs deliberately cracked leather throughout the entire top-half. Finally, the midsole on the 2015 pair is classic white, while the newer pair hosts that infamous, fake, yellowed look. If you’re down with your brand-new Jordans looking like they’ve been exhumed from the back of a damp closet, by all means: scoop yours on May 10. The alternative is to drop hefty cash on a DS 2015 ‘UNC’.

2015 Vs. 2025 Shape

There aren’t enough words in one language to argue over which of the two shapes is actually superior – but we can certainly break down the differences between the Air Jordan 1 OG 2015 and the 2025.

The overall height of the collar is the biggest switch-up, with the older pair opting for a higher and arguably sleeker look. The 2025 variation also goes for a straighter finish on the top of the collar, whereas the 2015 slopes backwards towards the heel. It’s a similar situation with the tongue, which rides higher on the 2015 and is flush on the newer shape. Other than those – and a few slight panel shifts – they’re identical.

You can expect the 2025 Air Jordan 1 ‘UNC’ to retro for the silhouettes' megalithic 40th anniversary on May 10. Find all the details you need to cop, .