Creating The Air Jordan 16
The Air Jordan series is steeped heavily in rich, and often unusual, inspiration. From the black panther origins of the , to the Ferrari F355 roots of the , all the way up to the , which found inspiration in the most peculiar of sources – 's habit of thrusting out his tongue when driving the ball to the hoop.
For the , designer Wilson Smith drew inspiration from MJ's second, and seemingly final, retirement with a shoe designed to convey his transition from the basketball court to the boardroom. The result was a clean, layered design with the business end of the shoe concealed beneath a minimalist shroud or 'Spat'.
Created under the guidance of veteran design legend , the AJ16 underwent a multitude of concept sketches before settling on its now immortal construction. In the lead-up to the long-awaited return of the , have revealed these imaginative designs to the public – many for the very first time.