Air Jordan 2

Of all the versions of the Swoosh, the Air Jordan 2 is the one that almost destroyed the brand. What a reputation! A commercial flop for some, a stylistic discovery for others, the Nike Air Jordan 2 is definitely fascinating.

It is true that following its launch, His Airness almost irreversibly turned away from the smooth brand to create its own models. The Nike brand also changed its entire management team after this release. This is how the famous designer Tinker Hatfield made his entrance to Nike, which would probably not have happened without the Air Jordan 2's setbacks.

Today, collectors look at the better Jordan 2 with a lot more perspective. The once discarded sneaker is slowly regaining its notoriety.

According to some press releases, the Air Jordan 2 appeared during the 1986-1987 NBA season. However, if you look closely, the pair would have been seen during an unforgettable event: the 1985 NBA All-Star Weekend Dunk Contest, where Michael Jordan earned the nickname His Airness, which has stuck with him ever since. With the black and red Air Jordan 1 on his feet, he performed phenomenal dunks and became the star of the Nike brand.

The young basketball player Michael Jordan will not stop winning against the likes of Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. This young prodigy, only 21 years old, already had a pair of basketball shoes to his name.

Contradicting all NBA dress code, the Nike Air Jordan 1 was worn by Michael Jordan at every competition. In fact, the young basketball player was dressed entirely in Nike during the 1985 Dunk Contest.

For the smooth brand, there is no doubt that MJ was the best basketball player ever. But in order to prove it further, Nike did not hesitate to invest in the Chicago Bulls basketball player.

That year, the young player received no less than a quarter of a million dollars from the Swoosh for his first season alone. Among other things, he also earned over $100 million from the sale of Nike products. Throughout the season, the Air Jordan 1 was sold in specialty shops and fitted by MJ. When the season was over, Michael Jordan thought of an innovative sneaker to bait the market and take his place in the NBA. And that's exactly what the Air Jordan 2 will do.

Originally launched as the "Air Jordan Imagination", the Air Jordan 2 was a basketball sneaker developed in Italy and priced at $100. Highly coveted but unaffordable, the Air Jordan is causing a stir. The Air Jordan 1 was originally priced at $65 and was already considered very expensive. However, despite being unaffordable for most consumers on a budget, the launch of the Air Jordan 2 has been acclaimed and recognised for its profile.

The renowned basketball player scored no less than 50 points in a new feat against the New York Knicks at the opening of the Air Jordan 2 at Madison Square Garden. The next day, he scored 41, an average of 37.1 points per game that season and the first of his ten active scoring titles.

It was undeniable that Michael Jordan was the world champion and Nike marketed him as such. Throughout the 1986-87 NBA season, Michael Jordan wore versions of the Air Jordan 2 (low top and high top). A more restrained design than the Air Jordan 1, this beautiful sequel was very inspired. However, due to its more than expensive price tag and understated look that didn't match the contemporary appeal of the show-off, the sneaker wasn't chosen by aficionados.

Marketing manager Rob Strasser and Peter Moore parted ways with Nike right after the Air Jordan 2 launch, wishing Michael Jordan would do the same so he could start his own brand. So the smoothie company is bringing in young designer Tinker Hatfield to design its next Air Jordan, keeping MJ on board and bringing the iconic Jumpman logo to life.

The Air Jordan 2 returned in 1994 in a vintage iteration to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Michael Jordan/Nike partnership. It was launched with special anniversary packaging but completely missed the mark on a population that was not yet nostalgic enough.   

In the following decades the Air Jordan 2 was discarded from the basketball world. It was not until the second decade in the 2000s that various designers revived the appeal of this long-forgotten sneaker. 

The Air Jordan 2 is the premium model of the Jumpman brand. If you like style and luxury, this Jordan model is for you. Designed by Peter Moore in collaboration with designer Bruce Kilgore, the Jordan 2 is luxurious with premium materials made of imitation lizard skin and embossed leather. The Jordan II is regularly released in new versions, including the Jordan 2 Retro A Ma Maniére Airness, the Jordan 2 Retro Union Grey Fog and the special collaboration with the Parision streetball tournament, the Air Jordan 2 Quai 54.