Under most circumstances, the Air Jordan 1’s 40th anniversary celebration in 2025 would be a banner event, the kick-off of one of the most iconic sneakers of all time’s fifth decade on the market. However, the flagging cultural capital of retro basketball silhouettes in a sneaker market that’s obsessed with “newness” and views performance as the new lifestyle, has cast something of a shadow over the proceedings.
How does a brand based on re-releasing heritage models sustain excitement in a lukewarm market that’s more interested in newness? The Air Jordan empire is responsible for many of the industry’s most iconic designs, but this can be both a blessing and a curse.
A solution to this fatigue was proposed in late 2022 by introducing the “Reimagined” series. The slowly growing collection features classic looks with a twist, saluting and spotlighting brand history by swapping one material for another or artificially aging a shoe instead of simply re-releasing the same design. The Air Jordan 1 High OG “Lost & Found” (aka “Chicago Reimagined”) kicked things off with a bang two Novembers ago. Starting with the beloved red, white and black color scheme, its “Lost & Found” theme is conveyed through its aged look that replicates what decades of sitting on a store shelf would result in, all while being bundled in packaging that oozes with nostalgia. It’s sneaker storytelling done right: a wearable silhouette and a history lesson all in one.
When the “Chicago Reimagined” concept was first rumored, many Hypebeast commenters backed the sentiment that this would just be more of the same — we had seen the “Chicago” look remixed into countless different styles over the years. However, by the time that we presented our Retro Rumble comparing it to an original 1985 pair, it was clear that Jordan Brand had won many people over with the extra effort that went into the design. This was also reflected in the sales of the sneaker as it flew off of shelves and now fetches over double the original retail price in some sizes, no small feat in a deflated aftermarket where most Air Jordan releases can be had for around, or even under, MSRP.
After running with this early momentum and presenting the aged Air Jordan 3 “White Cement Reimagined” the following March, the emerging pattern (and success) was disrupted. The Air Jordan 1 High OG, amid a fall from grace caused by enhanced supply and weakened demand, returned to the conversation with the “Royal Reimagined” colorway. The same premise of building atop beloved color blocking by adjusting details was followed, however, the final product merely swapped out a leather upper for a suede one.
What was quickly being established as a franchise for prestigious releases suddenly found itself in jeopardy of losing its allure as the “Reimagined” series took a sharp turn. We had already seen the storytelling flavor of the “Lost & Found” bleed from the series with its “White Cement Reimagined” successor, but by the series’ third release it felt as if Jordan Brand had completely lost the plot. This attitude was mirrored by an apparent lack of excitement surrounding the release as it sat on shelves last November, leading to significant markdowns within a month of its drop date. The silver lining of this misstep is that one of the most legendary Air Jordan 1s can still be obtained secondhand for around half of its retail price, with the simple caveat that it dons a suede upper.
It later became clear that there is an appetite for material refreshes as February saw the Air Jordan 4 “Bred Reimagined” depart shelves swiftly after swapping a nubuck upper for a leather one. Beyond leather being more favored by sneakerheads than suede, Jordan Brand made a point of including adjustments to the shape that nod to its original 1989 look, adding depth to the shallow strategy it had enlisted previously.
With the series back on track, 2024’s two-part “Reimagined” run was cut short as the third AJ1 — the “Black Toe Reimagined” — was inexplicably postponed from an October launch to dropping in early 2025. Early previews of the sneaker indicate a third take on the “Reimagined” line as rather than aging the sneaker or making a change to its marquee material, it calls back to the “Air Jordan” branding that adorned a 1984 sample before its Wings graphic was ever added. This again accomplishes what Jordan Brand presumably set out to do with the “Reimagined” franchise as it returns to a familiar colorway but puts a unique spin on it — one that is entrenched in the brand’s rich history. It’s a nod to the real ‘heads, and a learning experience for the young ones.
Inevitably, the Air Jordans that have built today’s multi-billion dollar brand continue to show up each year, so to see the all too predictable flow of re-releases disrupted by special re-editions courtesy of the “Reimagined” series is refreshing. This added dimension to the brand is an important step in combating the fatigue many sneakerheads face with a release calendar that leans more on the past than ever before. Its twice-a-year cadence maintains a pace that allows each of these detailed designs to breathe, especially in a time carried by an everlasting stream of fleeting hype.
So long as Jordan Brand maintains its thoroughness with each pair, the “Reimagined” series will continue to serve as a positive shift forward.
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