The Jordan 23 UNC Honours Jordan's Alma Mater
Michael Jordan and the number 23 are forever linked, so it's no surprise that the Air Jordan's 23rd iteration would be more than just another trainer. The Jordan Brand truly elevated its shoe design and manufacturing game to make the XX3 a triple threat of performance, style and sustainability.
The Air Jordan 23 Design: MJ's Signature Stamp
The OG Air Jordan XX3 was released in early 2008, followed by a retro version in late 2015. The XX3s are also referred to as the AJ XX3, XXIII or the 23. Once again, the Jordan Brand entrusted Tinker Hatfield to develop the concept, lead the design team and bring the trainer to life. The directive was clear - create the most innovative basketball shoe ever designed using environmentally preferred materials and manufacturing processes.
The XX3 was the first shoe developed under the Nike Considered design ethos, which formalized the company's effort to adopt sustainable, responsible manufacturing and business practices. The XX3's design reduced waste in production, minimized the use of chemicals and glues with adverse environmental impact and incorporated responsibly sourced materials such as recycled Nike Grind rubber. Every pair of XX3s included a DVD containing interviews with MJ, Hatfield and designer Mark Smith discussing the process and strategy behind the shoe.
Michael Jordan said, "The AIR JORDAN XX3 is deeply meaningful to me, as a celebration of both my life and career. The number 23 is obviously of great significance to me, and the release of the XX3 is a pinnacle moment in the Brand's history." These are some of the special details that went into the XX3:
- "23" on the left shoe's tongue and the Jumpman logo on the right
- Jordan's signature is all over the design, literally - his thumbprint appears on the back of the tongue, his fingerprint serves as the mould for the pattern on the outsole and his written signature is inscribed on the toe cap
- The upper features an intricate MJ stitching pattern created with a Nike-exclusive 3D stitching machine revolutionized when the shoe was first developed in 2008
In tribute to the University of North Carolina, Michael Jordan's alma mater, the Jordan Brand released the UNC colourway on the Air Jordan 23 silhouette in 2018. White serves as the base of this trainer, beginning on the patent leather toe top and continuing up the tongue and laces to the padded mesh collar. A large side panel overlays the upper in black leather with an intricate stitched pattern in blue and white. Another small black strip is found on the toe, though its pattern is stamped in a subtle grey. A contoured, iridescent University Blue mudguard and midsole outlines the side panel overlay and follows down to the bottom of the shoe on the arch. This UNC-inspired trainer made its way to store shelves on November 28, 2008.
