The Holiest of Grails: The Mythical 'Friends and Family' Jordan 1 from 1985

Recently we received a tip-off that a pair of vintage Jordans had been found in a charity shop for $10. And not just any old pair, this is the mythological ‘Friends and Family’ black and gold Jordan 1 that has eluded the biggest vintage hunters for decades and caused many an argument over whether they even exist. If verified, this could be one of the greatest single sneaker finds of the past 30 years.

2003 AJ1 with patent leather

Given the nature of their construction, it certainly would be possible to wear them without a blow-out happening. In line with their vintage, there’s no barcode inside the shoes. The all-important ‘85’ code printed on the ankle collar lining next to the shoe’s size is faded, but clearly still visible, which of course indicates that the shoes were manufactured in 1985.

The tongue labels are almost identical. Whilst the red/black/white Jordan 1s have ‘Made in Rep. Of Korea’ on the rear of the label, the black and golds have no country of origin listed. Depending on whether you’re a sceptic or a true believer, this may or may not tally up with the myth that they were made by hand in Nike’s Italian factory, which the Swoosh were certainly using in the late-80s to make shoes such as the Jordan 2.