Jordan 2 Retro x Converse Alumni Trainers Combine Iconic Features
Living up to the success of the Air Jordan 1 was no small task, so Nike enlisted two of its most accomplished designers, Bruce Kilgore and Peter Moore, to collaborate on the newest Air Jordan design.
Kilgore, who created the Air Force 1 in 1982, and Moore, who designed the Air Jordan 1, decided to develop a shoe that could perform on the court and still look great with a suit.
Nike was able to achieve the elegance of the Air Jordan 2 by producing them in Italy using premium Italian leather and faux iguana skin. They also eliminated the large Swoosh logo for a cleaner look. Although the Nike signature appears on the heel and the outsole, this was the first trainer to feature Air Jordan as the primary branding with the iconic Wings logo on the tongue.
The new Air Jordan design also underwent performance upgrades, including a speed lacing system, foam midsoles, larger air units in the heel for more support and a large heel cup wrapping the rear of the shoe for stability.
History of Air Jordan 2
Originally released in 1986, the Air Jordan 2 is an often-overlooked silhouette in the Air Jordan lineage, but it’s a worthy shoe, nonetheless. While it wasn't as monumental as the Air Jordan 1 that preceded it or as culture-shifting as the Air Jordan 3 that followed, the Air Jordan 2 was undoubtedly ahead of its time.
The silhouette embodied luxury decades before there was a steady demand for designer-quality shoes from sportswear brands or full-on collaborations like the recently released Dior x Air Jordan 1.
Air Jordan collaborated with the iconic shoe brand Converse to create these unique silhouettes. Inspired by Michael Jordan's early career, the trainers look similar to the Jordan 2 Retro 2017. However, their colouring is inspired by Converse design. The upper is mostly made of smooth and snakeskin white leather, but it has a strip of pale blue on the heel and a bright red colour on the bottom of the sole. The back features Michael Jordan's initials and a 06/28/87 to reference the years when Jordan wore the original shoes.
