Grape Expectations: Five Reasons the Air Jordan 5 ‘Grape’ Still Has Plenty of Juice

Not every sneaker gets better with age, but the ‘Grape’ is a mighty vintage. First uncorked in 1990, this intoxicating entry in the Jumpman cellar still stomps the comp more than three decades later. Wrapped in crisp white leather with icy blue outsoles and vibrant splashes of 'Grape Ice' and 'New Emerald', the AJ5 ‘Grape’ isn’t just a colourway – it's peak all flash, no fear.

Debuting during one of Tinker’s more experimental creative stretches, the Air Jordan 5 introduced a stack of firsts for the series: reflective 3M tongues, translucent outsoles, lace locks, and the now-iconic shark-tooth midsole inspired by WWII fighter planes. The ‘Grape’ flipped the script entirely, ditching Bulls colours for something way more left-field. No red. No black. Just pure, uncut lifestyle energy.

And with the next retro now on the horizon, we’re pouring one out for five fun (and fascinating) facts that prove why this fruity favourite still has sneakerheads walking on Bel-Air...

No Bull: A Colourway That Broke the Rules

The Air Jordan 5 debuted during a time when most of MJ’s signature sneakers stuck close to Chicago’s team palette: black, red and white. But the ‘Grape’ broke ranks. With zero Bulls branding in sight, the sneaker arrived in a white leather upper with vibrant hits of 'Grape Ice' purple and 'New Emerald' green on the tongue, midsole, and lace toggle.

This deviation was unheard of in the early 90s – why would a Jordan shoe not rep the GOAT’s team colours? But that was exactly the point. The Air Jordan line was already beginning to shift from pure performance to pop culture. The ‘Grape’ was a lifestyle option before ‘lifestyle’ sneakers were even a category – it didn’t need to be worn on the court to have impact.

The Fresh Prince Effect: A Hollywood Blessing

If the ‘Grape’ had remained a niche oddity, it might have faded into obscurity. But then Will Smith stepped in. In The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the show’s titular character regularly donned the Air Jordan 5 ‘Grape’ – and crucially, without laces. This wasn’t a stunt-double moment or a one-time cameo – Smith laced (or didn’t lace) the Grapes multiple times on-camera, turning the sneaker into a certified 90s icon.

Smith's gaudy style gave the sneaker mainstream visibility in a way that few other Jordan colourways ever enjoyed. Decades later, Jordan Brand would tip their hat to this cultural moment with the – a laceless retro with elastic tongues and special branding on the insoles. It even came with tissue paper printed to look like Bel-Air wallpaper. Will Smith didn’t just co-sign the 'Grape' – he helped ferment its legacy.

A Long Wait Between Drinks: The 16-Year Gap

Despite its growing mythos, the Air Jordan 5 ‘Grape’ didn’t return for more than a decade after that initial 1990 drop. Having broken away from traditional Bulls hues, it quickly gained cult status for its fresh palette and off-court appeal. But fans had to wait until 2006 – a full 16 years later – for Jordan Brand to pop open the first retro. By that time, demand had boiled into full-blown thirst, and the rerelease flew off shelves.

The ‘Grape’ returned again in 2013, this time with one small but notable change: the heel swapped the original Nike Air logo for a Jumpman. For some purists, it was a detail worth debating. But the important part? The 'Grape' was back – clean, crisp, and just as bold and beautiful as we remembered.

A Vineyard of Variations

Like any good vintage, the original AJ5 ‘Grape’ has inspired a series of follow-ups, variations, and unreleased samples that expand its mythology. The first notable return came in 2006, when Jordan Brand retroed the OG white-based ‘Grape’ for the first time. , once again bringing the fan-favourite colourway back to shelves.

That same year, Jordan – a darker version that swapped the white upper for black nubuck while keeping the familiar purple and teal accents intact. There were also early ‘Pre-Grape’ prototypes from 1990 – alternate versions that featured navy uppers with teal and purple hits, showing just how close the original design came to taking a different path. Decades later, Jordan Brand revisited this look , blending inspiration from those unreleased prototypes while nodding to MJ’s Charlotte franchise.

In 2018, Jordan Brand paid direct homage to one of the 'Grape’s' most famous cultural moments with the laceless Fresh Prince edition. Inspired by Will Smith’s iconic Air Jordan 5 flex on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, this version arrived with elasticised tongues and no eyelets, mimicking the way Smith famously rocked his pair on screen.

The 'Grape' lineage grew again in 2020 with the ‘Alternate Grape’ (sometimes called ‘Grape Ice’), which fully embraced the purple with a bold suede upper and black detailing.

But through it all, the OG white-based 'Grape' remains the benchmark. It’s the one that collectors chase. It’s the one that gets the nostalgia pumping. And it’s the one that made history.

MJ Never Wore Them On Court, and That’s OK – In Fact, it’s Kinda Dope

Here’s the kicker: Michael Jordan never laced up the ‘Grape’ 5s in an actual NBA game. While he wore other AJ5 colourways during the 1989–90 season (most famously the ‘Black/Metallic Silver’), the ‘Grape’ was reserved for off-court moments – photoshoots, commercials and catalogue appearances.

In that sense, the AJ5 ‘Grape’ became one of the first Jordan colourways to transcend sport entirely. It didn’t need a clutch playoff performance or poster dunk to be iconic. It earned its status through cultural capital – TV cameos, lifestyle wear, and decades of reverence from the sneaker community.