Air Jordans exist in tiers of exclusivity: at the bottom are general releases, at the top are player exclusives and one-offs created for Jordan Brand-sponsored athletes and influencers. Somewhere toward the high end of that hierarchy are the most limited retail pairs, ones that were available to the public but only in very small numbers.
Inevitably, these fetch thousands of dollars on the resell market and became the stuff of sneaker lore. Gathered here are the rarest colorways for each Air Jordan model that actually released. Some were made available at specific retailers, some were auctioned off for charity, and others were introduced to the public through less conventional means.
But all of them did actually release at some point, even if they did so in numbers so scarce that they disappeared immediately thereafter. Why so rare? That's even less pairs than the recently released Spike Lee collaboration. The shoes feature Eminem lyrics scrawled on the upper and came packaged with a matching shirt. Like all Doernbecher releases, the Air Jordan 3 edition was released exclusively at select Nike retail locations and nike.
But unlike the others, this one actually returned for a second release three and a half years after the original. Although 50 pairs were raffled in-store and 7 pairs were auctioned online, there were rumored to be 72 pairs total of this sneaker made, with the remaining 15 going to UNDFTD friends and family.
This release of this Air Jordan 5, connected to Jordan Brand's annual summer basketball tournament held in Paris, was limited to select European Foot Lockers. One of the most unorthodox Jordan 6s to ever release, this pair was a part of Nike's charity partnership with the Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon. Like other pairs from the line, these were only available directly via Nike.
These Olympic-themed Air Jordan 7s released to honor the Games, with less than 1, pairs releasing exclusively in Europe. The 1, numbered pairs of this Air Jordan 9 released as part of the brand's short-lived "Bin 23" series, which included premium leathers and accessories like wooden shoe trees.
As part of the event, f our black pairs of Air Jordan 10s, along with four women's pairs in white, were auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Grimmster Endowment.
In addition, one pair of each color was signed by both Michael Jordan and designer Tinker Hatfield. While the wide release of the 25th anniversary Air Jordan 11s mysteriously lacked the shoe's trademark logo on the heel, 25 pairs were randomly released with numbered insoles and Jumpman logos. Public School is no stranger to exclusive Air Jordans, but thanks to their geographic exclusivity, the regional Air Jordan 12s in Wheat, Bordeaux, and Olive rank as the rarest of all.
That makes them even harder to come by than 's Nubuck Pack, which was released exclusively online and was available only to registered Team Jordan members. After being originally advertised as available only at the House of Hoops in Boston and Miami's Sole Fly, the Ray 13 popped up a few more spots. But this release, which included a shirt commemorating Ray Allen's breaking the all-time 3-point record, still remains the most limited of all 13s. Often mistaken as a fake thanks to the low-top edition of the same colorway, this UNC player exclusive edition of the Air Jordan 14 randomly popped up for sale on Eastbay in Jordan Brand teamed up with Miami sneaker boutique SoleFly to release 1, pairs of this collaborative Air Jordan The Miami-themed colorway dropped at 's Art Basel.
While hardly limited by today's standards, the Lightning 17s came at a time when Air Jordans weren't as mass produced as they are now, and didn't hit major chains. It would be hard to consider any Air Jordan 18s truly limited, especially considering they all hit the outlets.
But this black suede edition, which came complete with a suede brush, was not as widely available as the leather-based colorways. Rumored production issues with the shoe's Techflex lace cover caused this colorway of the 19 to be limited to select chains and Jordan Brand accounts. On the bright side, the shoe's design limited its appeal, which meant there wasn't much trouble acquiring a pair for those that wanted them. Although it released alongside the white and red launch colorway of the 20, this so-called "Quickstrike" edition was the more limited of the duo, and released only at select accounts.
It also made them harder to get by tightening the distribution a bit, with the leather ones being made available at more accounts. Although not considered particularly rare, this basketball leather-covered Air Jordan 22 was a limited general release, as opposed to the wide general releases of the shoe's other colorways.
It's still awful though. The "Finale" edition of the Air Jordan 23 released at Jordan Brand's top 23 stores, with each spot getting 23 pairs, resulting in a grand total of releasing. Coming in at just six fewer pairs is the white edition of the "Solefly" 23, which saw a release of pairs to honor the shop's May 23 opening day.
Following a change in naming convention, transitioning from Roman numerals to years, this was the first Air Jordan to hit retail. Its release was limited to 2, pairs, and available at the top 23 Jordan Brand accounts in the U.
This is the latest Looney Tunes -inspired retro Jordan release, which will also be accompanied by the girls' Mid "Lola," per Jordan Brand:. Kicks on Fire gives a quick look at the new sneaker—and a sock-pairing suggestion for those who want to rock the new shoes with shorts:. Cop or pass? The inspiration for the shoes comes from the s ads featuring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny. The original Air Jordan isn't usually the version of the iconic sneaker that gets the retro treatment, but to help celebrate the year anniversary of the brand, we're seeing some special releases.
As usual, J23 iPhone App delivers with multiple angles:. The best aspect of the sneaker—beyond the historic design—is the striking red bottoms. You get a good appreciation for how that aspect of the shoe sets the whole design off in this image from Sneaker Shouts:.
The Air Jordan 1 "Hare" is only 1 week away.
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