Keeping you fly since 1989. Coming up the ranks alongside Supreme and Stüssy, Union LA is a true streetwear institution. Fronted by Chris Gibbs, who’s been at the boutique since its early days in New York, Union made their mark on the sneaker scene with the unique details and flair they bring to their collaborations. With the release of their much-anticipated Chicago/Shadow colourway just around the corner, we’re looking back through Union’s iconic lineup of Jordan collabs.
Air Jordan 1 (2018)
Union’s first Jordan collaboration stood out as one of the biggest shoes of 2018 and one of the best Jordans of the 2010s. The design had a uniquely vintage aesthetic, inspired by hunting classic Jordans. This collab came in two colourways, ‘Black Toe/Neutral Grey’ and ‘Storm Blue/Bred’, each a mashup of two OG colourways.
Air Jordan 4 (2020-21)
Union’s follow-up on the AJ4 was one of the standout collaborations during the sneaker boom of the early 2020s. The ‘89 classic received a unique redesign, featuring a mesh toe, an exposed foam tongue, and translucent support wings. The ‘Off Noir‘ and ‘Guava Ice‘ colourways dropped in 2020, while the ‘Taupe Haze‘ and ‘Desert Moss‘ pairs dropped in 2021 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Union’s Los Angeles store.
Air Jordan 2 (2022)
While many still overlook the Jordan 2, there have been plenty of high-heat collaborations in recent years to reaffirm its spot in the canon. Union reimagined the AJ2 as a vintage pair discovered in a future utopia, featuring a unique nylon and suede upper in two neutral colourways, ‘Grey Fog’ and ‘Rattan’.
AJKO (2023)
The AJKO, another underrated model, also got the Union treatment in 2023. Appearing as a low top for the first time ever, the KO was presented in two white colourways, one done in the KO’s classic canvas upper and the other done in leather. Both colourways also came with unique, swappable velcro Swooshes.
Bepphies Beauty Supply (2023)
2023 also saw the release of Union’s first triple collab, teaming up with Beth Gibbs’ label Bepphies Beauty Supply. The Summer of ‘96 capsule once again featured the Air Jordan 1 High, this time alongside the LV8D model. Both pairs featured Union’s signature vintage aesthetics but with an added twist. Beth and Chris drew inspiration from the 1996 Air Footscape Woven, applying a distinct woven pattern to both uppers.
Chicago/Shadow (2025)
Now, Union are going back to the beginning, covering two OG colourways that were notably absent from their AJ1 mashup series. This pair takes the classic upper from the ‘Chicago’ and stitches on the ankle collar from the ‘Shadow’ with Union’s signature yellow DIY stitching. The whole upper is tied together with tumbled leather and vintage yellow edges on the different panels.
The Air Jordan x Union LA 1 High ‘Chicago/Shadow’ drops on the 28th of February. If you miss out on the retail release, be sure to check for listings on the KLEKT app.
