Jordan 11 Retro

The sophisticated colour scheme of this Jordan 11 Retro sneaker reflects the fact that it was constructed to go well with a tuxedo while also being good for performing on the basketball court. It represents the very first AJ11 colourway, known as the Concord, and as such has intense purple elements on the opaque sections of its outsole. These Dark Concord areas in the forefoot and heel are filled with herringbone grip lines that work together with the broader tread formations rippling across the translucent rubber covering the rest of this feature to deliver quality traction to the wearer. An icy blue tinge has been infused through this last part, but the dark grey honeycomb pattern of the carbon fibre shank plate is still clearly visible beneath it, the sturdy component adding extra structural integrity to the sole unit. A white Jumpman can also be seen in its centre, while behind it, the white Phylon foam of the midsole shines through. Full-length Air cushioning is encased within this foam, providing the wearer with high levels of comfort from heel to toe.

The upper, meanwhile, begins with a bold black layer formed by the patent leather mudguard that wraps around the whole shoe. Its glossy surface gives off a reflective shine and a dual line of stitching has been carefully sewn around its top edge. Just above this, the colouration returns to white on both the durable ballistic mesh on the quarter panel and the leather of the heel overlay. The webbed lacing system also appears in white, and the strips of fabric that form it have looped ends to accommodate the white rope-style laces. These criss-cross over a mesh tongue, which comes in the same elegant tone and has a black patch across its centre. Characteristic white lettering has been woven through this dark material to spell out the words “Jordan” and “Jumpman”, and a Dark Concord Jumpman logo sits in between the two.

The shoe’s interior has been lined with soft black fabric, and Nike Air branding stands out on the insole in white, the text aligned in opposite directions on each foot. The back of the tongue is also black, as is the patch sewn into it, which carries white text and a small Dark Concord Jumpman. At the top of the heel, a black tab formed out of the inner lining acts as the backboard for the number 45 to be displayed in white, thus honouring the digits Michael Jordan wore temporarily on his return to basketball in 1995. Just next to it on the lateral side of the heel is one final piece of branding – a black Jumpman embroidered into the white leather for a dynamic finish to this classy sneaker.