The Return of the 'Royal' Air Jordan 1

The Air Jordan line has manufactured endless colorways and spin-off sneakers dating back to when Michael first signed with Nike in 1985 for an estimated $7 million over five years—as ESPN's Darren Rovell reported.

Nike's commitment to the evolution of Jordan's product allowed consumers to have options.

The business of MJ's apparel cultivated a living, breathing marketplace, and despite critical feedback about oversaturation, Jordan Brand grosses around $2.7 billion annually, per Rovell.

The sneaker that started all of the Jumpman folly was the Air Jordan I. On April 1, Jordan Brand plans to re-release perhaps the most coveted Air Jordan I in company history: The "Royal" I.

Image courtesy of Nike

Named after its unmistakable royal blue and black colorway, this shoe was part Nike's original Air Jordan I lineup, spanning retailers from 1985 until '86.

At the time, the "Royal" I was priced around $65. When you pour in the batter of life that is inflation, the sneaker now equates to $149.03, per Dollar Times—the 2017 "Royal" I will retail for $160.

How did the "Royal" I come to achieve such an audacious level of fame? The story goes something like this: In 1985, Jordan made the executive decision to sport this colorway rather than his black-and-red pair while being photographed for a Nike promotional poster, according to Nike News.

Black and blue were MJ's favorite colors. It was only natural for him to gravitate towards this pair when esteemed photographer Chuck Kuhn took the picture.

Image courtesy of Nike

Mark "Jumpman" Bostic, a legendary Jordan collector, was attending the University of San Diego when the first "Royal" I first debuted.

"I had to have them," Bostic told Bleacher Report. "They were $65 and that classic 'Royal' blue-and-black looked so dope together."

Bostic pointed out that people at the time considered the sneaker to be a "Duke" colorway—one of Jordan's rivals while attending the University of North Carolina.

Image courtesy of Nike

Why has the "Royal" I remained a coveted piece of footwear since its inception? Bostic believes a big part of that answer comes down to resellers: "The hype with this colorway came when sneaker resellers realized it was limited."

Intentional or not, this segment of sneaker culture has turned the original run of Jordan Is—"Breds," "Shadows," etc.—into eternal classics, helping preserve MJ's legacy.

The 2017 "Royal" I is not the first retro to come along. Previous versions include a 1994 release—the first time any Jordan sneaker was re-issued—a 2001 edition, as well as a modified 2013 version—the latter two pairs were distributed in limited quantities.

Image courtesy of Nike

The updated "Royal I" provides a genuine luxe, premium feel. Durable materials like a buttery slab of tumbled leather molded onto the upper not only look good out of the box, but over time the shoe even wears, bends and creases well—features reminiscent of a vintage leather jacket.

Past retros were both derived from similar materials, but none compare to the 2017 remastered version.

Image courtesy of Nike

It's important to remember all retro Jordans are not made equal. Silhouettes change from the use of leather to the actual shape. Often times newer cuts drift ever so slightly away from the original.

The good news is this updated "Royal" I was crafted closer to the original, mainly due to its use of a higher ankle platform. It's a win for Jordan Brand's heritage.

Image courtesy of Nike

Nearly 32 years after its emergence, the Air Jordan I "Royal" is still here stirring up all sorts of hype. On April 1, these kicks return once again for a new generation to get their hands on.

All release information and product news courtesy of Nike News unless noted otherwise.