I started collecting
deadstock (never worn) sneakers around 2005 when I first became aware of the
Air Jordan XX. I was reading a magazine
when I came upon a Michael Jordan ad featuring his latest Air Jordan’s. I hadn’t been interested in Air Jordans since
the XI’s, so I had assumed that the line had died off after he retired the
second time. This magazine ad peaked my
curiosity because it brought back childhood memories of sneakers as a kid. Back in those days, I remember Air Jordans
and Nike being so amazing and yet I took them for granted and never assumed
that as an adult I would want to own them again. I would simply get a new pair of sneakers and
dirty them up as soon as possible. I
guess that’s why they’re so sentimental to me now, because I actually enjoyed
them until they fell off my feet.
Fast-forward to 2005,
and I went to the sneaker store to buy myself my first pair of Air Jordan’s. Unfortunately they didn’t have my size so I
had to go online (which was my first time looking for shoes on the internet),
and try to find a pair. To my surprise I
came upon a vast collection of websites dedicated to sneakers and Air Jordans. Over the next several weeks I dedicated
myself to learning all about the sneakers I had missed out on since the Air
Jordan XI’s. What excited me the most through my research was when I found out that Jordan Brand and Nike would retro sneakers from the
past. These were sneakers I had always
wanted, sneakers I had owned, and sneakers I had never known existed. Truth be told until that time the only Air
Jordans I had ever known about were the III’s-XI’s.
Knowledge is power;
is an excellent quote to remember when entering a new hobby. All I knew at that point was that I wanted to
buy all the Air Jordans that were retroed.
Lamentably around that same time period, the DMP packaged released and I
didn’t even know about it. I felt
terrible after because I had loved both those shoes in that package and was
even willing to pay $500 to get them (luckily I didn’t). I did however promise myself that the next
package that Jordan Brand would release I would buy. That package was the Old Love New Love
package, a.k.a. OLNL pack, and Beginning Moments Pack, BMP pack. They were going to be my first Air Jordan I’s
and my first package. I assumed that the
package gimmick would only be used once in a while and the shoes would be well
made. Oh how little did I know.
My thoughts on the
package are that I pretty much hated it from the beginning. They’re not the same height as the original
black toes, they don’t come with a Nike Air logo and instead have a Jumpman logo,
they crease easily (after one wear), and the leather isn’t as thick as the
originals. While I do recognize that
Jordan Brand wanted to release a package that was different from other
releases, I also felt cheated because I had to settle for the only sneaker that
came close to the original Air Jordan 1’s at that time. It’s not so much that the sneakers are
terrible, but it’s that I wanted to own a pair close to the OG’s and any
substitute would not satisfy. The
positive aspects of the shoes are that the insoles have been upgraded and are
comfortable, the shoe paper is lasered (similar to the CDP’s), and the shoe box
was nicely designed. (Speaking of the
shoe box, I am also providing a picture of the box with Jordan’s back beside a
photograph of him wearing the #45. This
has always made me assume that the picture on the box must have been photoshopped.) Over all the shoes are great, but I wouldn’t
recommend them to anyone who wants a retro similar to the 1985 black toe 1’s.
Jordan
Brand:
www.jumpman23.com
