Till date, the Air Jordan 1 "Bred" sneakers remains one of the most recognizable shoes in the history of sneaker industry across the globe. Nearly after four decades of its initial release, this legendary shoe is reportedly making a comeback in 2025.
The "Bred" shoes are known for its black and red, "Bred" colorway and its place in basketball and fashion history. The shoe was first introduced in 1985 by Nike in collaboration with Michael Jordan, the legendary former basketball player.
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At that time, a shoe featuring a high-top silhoutte was relatively uncommon. Nike and Jordan have produced countless models since then. Nevertheless, the Air Jordan 1 "Bred" has held a fixed place in the hearts of sneakerheads around the globe. The design of the sneakers was done by Peter Moore. He is an American designer, who had been the creative director of both Nike and Adidas.
OG Air Jordan 1 "Bred"
The origin of the Air Jordan 1 "Bred" goes back to a pivotal moment in Michael Jordan’s career. The shoe, which was mainly designed by Peter Moore, was one of the original colorways in the Air Jordan 1 series.
It featured a bold black and red color scheme. However, Michael Jordan was not initially sold on the design. He reportedly told Moore,
"I can’t wear those colors. Those are the devil’s colors."
Despite his initial reluctance, the former basketball player Jordan would eventually agree to sport the sneakers.
The shoe’s colorway name “Bred”, is a blend of "black" and "red." It is also sometimes referred to as “Banned” by fans due to the context of its NBA ban. Although, back then, National Basketball Association's uniform guidelines required shoes to be primarily white, Jordan wore a black and red pair of sneakers during his rookie year. That was a clear violation of the league’s uniform color rules. Hence, it got 'banned' by NBA.
Nike decided to launch a marketing campaign, for the Air Jordan 1, centering on this 'ban'. That campaign effectively made the "Bred" colorway look as 'a symbol of rebellion'. As a result, the shoes quickly became a cultural phenomenon in the sportswear industry.
Below is what the official Nike SNRKS had to say about the shoe:
"A colorway synonymous with His Airness for over 35 years, the Black and Red Air Jordan 1 returns this season to shine like never before. Made famous by its "forbidden" mythology and MJ's majestic leaps during the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, this edition is covered in patent leather, adding a touch of luxury to one of MJ's most legendary looks."
The Air Jordan 1 "Bred" features a upper is made entirely of leather. The two tone color scheme features a deep red and stark black. These colors reportedly refer to the Chicago Bulls, the team Jordan famously played for.
The upper is mostly black, with red on the toebox, ankle collar, and iconic Nike Swoosh. The toebox of the shoes adds a hint of contrast with its rich red color. The sneaker features a clean white midsole that divides the upper from the rubber outsole.
The Air Jordan 1 "Bred" was reissued multiple times over the years, but the upcoming 2025 version is expected to be closer to the original 1985 version as compared to others.
While the release date is not officially declared yet, it is being reported that the drop is scheduled on February 14, 2025 with a price point of around USD 250.
Fans can keep their eyes on official pages for more updates.
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