The Air Jordan 23 was
the last official Jordan signature sneaker I bought on release day. Jordan Brand did an excellent job building up
to its release. Sneaker forums were
still pretty new and the anticipation they provided for how great the sneakers
would be made me interested in them from the beginning. Then the media press conference that featured
both Michael Jordan and Tinker Hatfield was icing on the cake. The XX3’s felt important and the hype that
surrounded it reminded me of the wonderful years I experienced with the first
Air Jordan releases.
The shoes were
designed by Tinker Hatfield, who wanted to make an eco-friendly sneaker that
didn’t rely heavily on toxic and harmful glues.
The result was a sneaker that merged utilitarian stitching with elegant
embroidered design in its construction.
Tinker, who is known for hidden details even added Michael Jordan’s
initials in the stitching pattern. To
finish off the shoes Tinker added Jordan’s thumb print to the bottom soles, a
feature that not only is creative but is also practical as it provides traction
on the floor.
The version I own is
the black, varsity red “stealth” colorway released in 2008. The toe box and tongue use a superior quality
suede that makes it luxurious. A simple yet aesthetically pleasing feature that
I like, is the bright red thread that mergers the uppers with the sole. Although the shoes are beautifully designed,
my only complaint about them is that the toe box is too tight. The shoes fit like a glove causing people
with wide feet (such as myself), to have pain on their pinky toes. I prefer comfort over style, so unfortunately
I can’t recommend these Jordan’s if you have wide feet.
Brand:
Air Jordan
Name:
Air Jordan 23, Air Jordan XX3, Stealth 23's
Year:
2008
Product
Code: 318376-001
Additional: Designed by Tinker Hatfield, Considered
the last of the Air Jordan signature sneakers
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