Nike DSM x Air Jordan 1 Retro High Release Date Schedule, Pics, Retail Price
Nike re-releases are typically defined by their exclusivity. People flood websites and spend hours waiting in line at stores, all hoping just to get a pair of kicks before the supply runs out—and sometimes doing so even when stock has run out of their size.
The folks running Jordan Brand are continuing that trend this week and stepping up the exclusivity with the Dover Street Market x Air Jordan 1 retro release. Officially announced Sunday on the NikeLab Instagram account, the Dover Street Market collaboration has been rumored for some time. The shoe will launch at flagship locations in London, New York City, Tokyo and Beijing on Thursday, and some select NikeLab online providers.
Anyone familiar with the Retro 1s—which is, um, basically anyone with a general knowledge of shoes—will recognize the design immediately. The original design largely stays intact, with only a few superficial adjustments to help modernize the shoe.
The first thing most will notice when assessing whether this is a worthwhile purchase is the colorway. Adorned in an all-blue leather with white accentuation, the shoe almost takes on a denim-like look. The white stitching does a solid job of helping the trademark swoosh and design stand out, with the white sole offsetting the blue base and making it stand out.
Of course, any Air Jordan 1 release would have to stand out given the high-profile releases earlier this month. The "Hare" and "Lola Bunny" colorways came out to mass fanfare, selling out stock within minutes of becoming available. With the OG retros and a "Shattered Backboard" also confirmed for May and the UNC colorway coming for the holiday season, per Sneaker News, every rollout will be compared by proxy.
Luckily, the Dover Street Market release does enough to differentiate itself. The colorway in and of itself is unique, and the exclusivity alone will send prices soaring on the secondary market.
| Thursday, April 16 | $250 | Obsidian/White-Fammit White |
It'll be interesting to see how the release winds up being used. While the Jordan 1 is a fine basketball shoe, it's become far more prevalent as a casual in recent years. Perhaps weight and performance play some factor in that change—every big "modern" shoe comes with highfalutin statistics about weight-to-support ratios—but I think it's more likely caused by the nostalgia factor.
The Jordan 1s are—and I think we can say this without any equivocation—the most famous basketball shoes on the planet. I doubt anyone in human history has worn a pair of OG 1s in the last decade without receiving at least one compliment. This is not to sound like a shill or to be overly complimentary; there is just a reason these shoes went on to help launch an enterprise that does billions in sales each year.
It's a dope shoe with a smart design, and the types of people who grew up idolizing Air Jordans are the ones beginning to see their career earning potential. No wonder Nike came out in 2015 and looked to push the 1s more than ever. The "Hares" just about destroyed social media when they came out, and the UNC colorway could be a wide-release retail version right now and be one of 2015's top-selling shoes.
The Dover Street Market collaboration is unlikely to create such a buzz, but it's not meant to. Some retros blow up your social media feed; others become rare exclusives that catch your eye whenever you see someone with a pair. The Dover Street Market release is firmly in the latter camp, and I suspect that's just the way Nike prefers it.
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