Jordan 11 Retro

The black, red and white color scheme of this daring Jordan 11 Retro recalls one of the earliest AJ11s and one of the most iconic of all Jordan sneakers – the Bred. Worn by the man himself during the 1996 NBA playoffs, it is built upon a sturdy but see-through base tinged a bright shade of Varsity Red. This is counterbalanced by dark black sections of rubber in the heel and forefoot that are both lined with herringbone grip lines for additional traction. A white and black grid can be made out behind the translucent piece of the outsole, part of it expanding beyond this to appear more clearly on the medial shank. This pattern delineates the carbon fiber plate that powerfully supports the foot, while a black Jumpman brings the classic Air Jordan 11 aesthetic to the feature.

Above this solid foundation is a bright white midsole formed from spongy Phylon foam and filled out with a large pocket of Air that reaches from heel to toe for high levels of comfort along the full length of the foot. This layer of white acts as a tonal buffer between the red outsole and the black upper, whose lower section is a glossy patent leather mudguard. This sleek black component wraps around the whole sneaker, its top edge giving way to a durable ballistic mesh through the quarter and a smooth leather panel at the heel, both in black. Six bands of black fabric lie each side of the tongue, forming a web-like structure over the quarter that becomes the shoe’s lacing system. Textile eyelets accommodate rope-style laces that criss-cross over the black mesh tongue, maintaining a stealthy look across the top of the foot.

Elsewhere, inside the shoe, more dusky hues can be found as the plush internal walls are entirely black. The insole is as well, but white Nike Air branding stands out brightly upon its surface in a bold announcement of the sneaker’s cushioning technology. At the top of the high-cut collar, the inner can be seen extending outwards to create a U-shaped heel tab which displays the number 23 in white. To the lateral side of this is another Jumpman emblem, the familiar silhouette artfully crafted in Varsity Red embroidery. Additional branding then occurs on a black patch in the middle of the tongue. Jordan and Jumpman lettering has been written across it in white either side of a concluding Varsity Red logo, which rounds out this classic Jordan 11 colorway.