The first part of the history of the Air Jordan 5 is all about new ideas and being hard to follow. There are a number of reasons why this part of the Air Jordan line is so important.
The reasons range from the shoe itself to the cultural setting and effects of its release.
The signature line of Jordan shoes is going through a new phase right before the 5 drops.
While the Air Jordan 1 and 2 are legendary shoes in their own right, the 3 and 4 are much more well known. Tinker Hatfield takes over when the third model comes out, starting a new era in basketball shoe design.
The end result is a line of sneakers that beats out the rest. After the 4 drops, the Jordan logo pretty much stands on its own. This was great for the brand’s growth and longevity, but it was hard to follow.
At this point, the Air Jordan 5 has a lot of work to do. It was announced that both the third and fourth movies are visually and technically new when they came out. How can someone follow up on their biggest accomplishment in a year?
The Built-In
Being The Architect does help, though. Tinker Hatfield has put his mark on two Air Jordan releases, and he will continue to do so with the 5.
One of the man’s best ideas is to think of Michael Jordan as more of a magical figure than a real person. When Tinker helps create for the brand, Jordan really does become something more than just a person.
His name is quickly becoming a familiar word around the world, and it’s linked to an iconic figure. Basketball has a name that works well in many languages because of Michael Jordan’s amazing achievements. Everyone is very good at speaking AIR.
This is one reason why Hatfield wants to stress what other parts of life show Michael and his unique personality. The Air Jordan 5 is based on a fighter jet from World War II.
These planes have a pattern on the front that makes them look like sharks, which makes them look scary. You can tell how important this is just by quickly looking through the highlights. The people Jordan fights, who are normal people protecting an icon, look a lot alike.
Some might even know this as a face of fear and terror, like what you might feel when a shark attacks you.
Air Jordan 5 “Bel Air”
How It Looks
Hatfield loved Jordan so much that he watched all of his games. The smart designer sees how MJ plays and has to make the game look like a fighter jet that looks like a shark.
To be honest, it doesn’t get much worse than that. The Air Jordan 5 was always going to be great when Jordan and Hatfield worked together.
There are also a lot of firsts in the style of the Air Jordan 5. Tinker has done things like this before. He starts his time with Jordan with two unique shoes. The really cool thing about the Air Jordan 5 is that it has a tongue design that is all its own. Even though it works well, what really impresses everyone is how it looks. The tongue sticking out makes the shoe look even more aggressive.
It’s also a 3M finish, as if that wasn’t enough. The reflective tongue will not catch your eye if the shark teeth pattern does not.
Because of this choice, the Air Jordan 5 is the first shoe in the line to have such a big tongue outline. Also, the base of this shoe is a first of its kind.
When you look back at basketball shoes from before the 1990s, they didn’t have icy bottoms like they do now, especially Nike shoes. That the Air Jordan 5 has a see-through outsole is a first that amazes both fans and players.
Another NBA player is amazed at how stylish it is as the shoe moves through the league. This might be the first sneaker that would sell well even if Michael wasn’t tied to it.
How Life Works
What this story means for culture makes it a little more interesting. First, think about how Air Jordan models are released these days. There are a lot of colors that come out often for most of the retro line.
That’s one reason why the difference between “OG” and “Retro” is so important to fans. Many colors of older Jordan models come out decades after they were first released.
Most of the time, the reaction is a mix of bland disappointment and underwhelming surprise. There are a lot of colorways and builds for even the performance-focused versions, like the Jordans 28 through 32.
This is very different from the original drop of the Air Jordan 5. The leathers used on these shoes are stiff and thick, making them more expensive than leathers used on later versions.
Another important thing to note is that the 5 only comes in four colors at first. After all these years, that kind of choice is pretty normal for the Jordan line; similar choices were available for earlier versions.
The Air Jordan 5 is one of the last shoes to do this, though. Each of these versions is the subject of hot chases, but two stand out as getting a lot of attention.
Air Jordan 5 Retro ‘Green Bean’
Men’s Shoes
£179.95
Select Size Size Guide
| UK 6 (E40) | UK 6.5 | UK 7 | UK 7.5 | UK 7.5 | UK 8.5 |
Stand out from the crowd. The Air Jordan 5 Retro brings back a coveted 2006 release done up in gray-reflectivity design and, of course, bright green accents. Synthetic leather, durable textile materials and plastic lace loops provide structure to this classic off-court look.
- Color Shown: Silver/Flint Grey/Green Bean
- Style: DM9014-003
Putting On
The man is shockingly talented, which is a big reason for his rapid, seemingly impossible movement. Still, there are a lot of interesting things about the Air Jordan 5’s useful design.
When you think about how great the Air Jordan 5 is, it’s important to think about how it works. The clear heel might be the most interesting part. Before the 1990s, most people who make shoes thought that basketball shoes should have a solid rubber.
It makes sense to come to the conclusion that the solid rubber material grips the court better, giving you a lot more control. When you think about the clear base, it’s safe to say that this means the shoes have less grip.
On the other hand, a lot of players chose the Air Jordan 5 from 1990 to the early 2000s. Some of the NBA’s most shady players, like Michael Finley, Shawn Marion, and Joe Johnson, wear the Air Jordan 5 for a big part of their careers.
These shoes also protect well against impact thanks to Nike’s Air padding technology in the heel. Also, that heel part might be the most interesting part of the midsole—after the shark teeth, that is.
That cushion bag is inside a pretty thick shell, which gives it even more protection as it jumps and bounds over defenders and obstacles.
Put it away.
The 5’s lace look system was another great feature that worked well. This is still the model of firsts, though. This is the first shoe in the Air Jordan line to have that extra support.
It makes sense to wonder why this design element is needed. Back then, it wasn’t even clear that this kind of new idea would work. The lace lock seems to have been chosen more for its looks at first.
The design is practical, but it’s one of the more understated parts of the shoe. It is safer to keep your foot in place with the strap lock. Before Flywire, this gave a good fit by working with the body of the shoe from the outside. The more internal setup from Flywire is, of course, a long way ahead of this strategy. The lace lock is a pretty innovative design.
In terms of function, the Air Jordan 5 is also one of the heavier shoes that lets a lot of air flow through it. The Air Jordan 5 takes something from its predecessor that makes it stand out: mesh panels.
It also makes up most of the tongue that isn’t 3M. That’s three different parts of the shoe that let air move. This is an especially interesting choice for the Jordan line.
Up until the most current models, the rest of the Jordan line has pretty basic styles. It was hard to play basketball in shoes like the Air Jordan 8 because they were too big and didn’t let air flow through them.
Men’s Shoes
£179.95
Get your piece of Jordan history and heritage with the Air Jordan 5 Retro.Based on the classic game show from 1990, it has all the iconic details, including the bump-out collar, lace toggle and fighter plane-inspired design lines.
- Color Shown: White/Black/Dark Concord
- Style: DD0587-141
Another Version
Up to this point, there have been a lot more colorways of the Air Jordan 5. Without a doubt, the classic releases have a huge range of styles. But, on the whole, the years after this are good for the shoe.
For example, some of the most talked-about versions use high-quality materials in ways that are hard to understand.
An Ago Time
Retro and original Air Jordan shoes from the past pay a lot of homage to those times. But the AJ 5 still holds a very strong place in that area. In reality, most of that is because of when it came out.
We get the Air Jordan 5 just as the 1990s start to roll around. Many people who like sneakers think that this is the best time in the history of sneaker creation. When we only look at basketball shoes fans, that claim sounds even stronger.
For this group of shoe fans, the 1990s were a whole other level. When these sneakers were worn on the court, they were also stylish off the court.
Many people are unhappy with the fact that modern performance basketball shoes are all about high-tech gear. So, nothing feels really usable for any reason other than its intended use.
This is what makes the Air Jordan 5 and the rest of the line unique. The shoe’s good looks last for decades, and it’s still very popular 20 years after it came out in 1990.
It is an important part of the career of a famous player, but it is also a lot more than that. People who like the Air Jordan 5 and people who collect them will always do that.
Air Jordan “Hot Lava”
A Look Ahead
Without a doubt, it was created to honor the best players in the game (hence the joke). But the Air Jordan 5 is also Tinker Hatfield’s one-of-a-kind creation.
It’s one of many stamps in a retro line that keeps making hits. As the Jordan original shoe line goes on, there are clear nods to styles from the past. The Air Jordan 31 and 32 both pay tribute to the beginning of the Jordan story.
Since this is the case, it’s interesting to think about what the Jumpman will next remember. We hope that the brand starts to remember how great the Air Jordan 5 was.