Virgil Abloh has had a whirlwind decade. The Chicago architect turned fashion designer has made a name for himself as one of the most forward-thinking creatives in the world. After launching Off-White™ in 2013, Abloh’s name was beginning to make waves in streetwear. Just four years later, he would launch a collaboration with Nike dubbed “The Ten” that changed the sneaker world forever. The rest is history as they say.
The most recent Off-White™ x Nike (technically Off-White™ x Jordan) collab launched earlier this year. After an 18 month hiatus, we were finally given a brand new Off-White™ x Air Jordan shoe. Taking inspiration from the original Air Jordan 5 “Black Metallic”, Abloh’s latest sneaker was a respectful homage to the sneaker that got him hooked on Jordans. It was an instant sellout, launching on SNKRS and disappearing within a few seconds.
Of course, that meant that a lot of replica Off-White™ x Air Jordan 5s also began to flood the market. Just like any new Off-White™ sneakers, there is always a huge demand for replicas. Almost every Off-White™ x Air Jordan has been knocked off, meaning that the world of fakes is always striving to get better. With that in mind, our resident authentication expert Dr KLEKT thought it was about time to educate you on how to spot a fake Off-White™ x Air Jordan 5. Check out the video below!
Of course, we’re going to go into a detailed breakdown in the article below. We’ll be showing you signs of a fake Off-White™ Jordan 5, as well as how to tell a real vs fake Off-White™ Air Jordan 5. Without further delay, let’s get started on how to spot a fake Off-White™ Jordan 5 “Muslin.”
The Test
One of the Off-White™ Air Jordans below is real and one is fake. We want to put your knowledge to the test and pick which one you think is the real Off-White™ Jordan 5. So, which do you think is which?
The Price
As with any Real vs Fake episode, we’re going to teach you about how the price can show you the difference between any real vs fake sneaker. The Off-White™ Jordan 5 dropped in February and retailed for around €225. It sold out on release day, with prices reaching over €800 depending on the size. Now, with the shoe already commanding a high retail price, it should come as no surprise that anything below this price should be suspect.
Most fake Jordan 5 Off-White™ will have a listed price at either below retail or resale market value. With that in mind, you should be conscious that the price can tell you a lot about whether or not a sneaker is real or fake. It is something that you should always have in the back of your mind. Remember, if it’s too good to be true then it usually is!
The Reveal
If you said the shoe on the right was real…congratulations, you were right! This was a tough comparison but one that was definitely manageable to get. If you did get it wrong, don’t worry. We’ll teach you how to spot a fake Off-White™ Jordan 5 below.
The Box
For most fake Off-White™ sneakers, you can tell a lot about the authenticity of the shoe from the packaging. More often than not, you can spot a fake Off-White™ Nike or Off-White™ Jordan from the box itself. On this particular Off-White™ Jordan, there were a few unique details that we had to take a look at.
The Label
This was probably one of the biggest giveaway signs that Dr KLEKT spotted straight away. On all Off-White™ boxes, there will be a label that describes the style, code, and price. Now, this label should be placed evenly in the bottom left corner, not touching the sides or wrapping around. However, this particular fake label wraps around the box, touching the side. This is a lazy point that helped spot the real vs fake Off-White™ Air Jordan 5 “Muslin” straight away.
The Jumpman
On the subject of spacing, the Jumpman on the Off-White™ Jordan 5 box is also a big giveaway. With the real box, you can see that the Jumpman has an even amount of space from each side. It is placed in a corner and has equal gaps between each side, giving it a clean look. However, the fake Off-White™ shoe features a larger Jumpman on the top right-hand corner. There is also too little space from the top of the box and too much from the side. It’s the small details that make a big difference!
The Mesh
Once Dr KLEKT eventually took a look at the shoe, there were some big differences that were visible straight away. One of these comes from the nylon upper used on the shoe. When you take a look at the real Off-White™ Jordan 5s, you can see that the nylon upper is dark and references the retro 5s nicely. The upper on this particular sneaker has a lot of small details that we will go into later.
If you look at the fake Off-White™ 5s, you will see that the nylon upper is too light. In fact, it is so light that the shoe doesn’t even come close to the real thing. On this particular Jordan 5 real vs fake, it was easy to tell the shoes apart. These knock off Off-White™ sneakers have some big flaws, with this being one of them.
The Laces
These Off-White™ Jordan sneakers have some big differences in the laces. Now, the shoe came laced with the black laces, something all the Off-White™ 5s had. If your pair has any other lace colour in and they’re “brand new” then be cautious. Here, we’ll explain some of the key points that you should look out for when checking real vs fake Off-White™ Jordans.
The Printing
It should come as no surprise that the laces on this particular fake have a few errors. One of the biggest giveaways comes from the “SHOELACES” text printed on each side. You can see on the replica Off-White™ laces, the ink has looks blotchy and there is not even space between the top and bottom. These laces are also crumpled up due to the transfer process. If you look at the real laces, they are not blotchy at all and the text is printed perfectly.
The Spare Laces
Another point to note is the spare laces that these Off-White™ Jordans come with. The laces on the fake are very thin, something Dr KLEKT mentioned in the video. You can see on these Jordan 5s that the bags are very big, with a space between the top of the bag and the laces. However, the fake Jordan 5s use much smaller bags. As we said earlier, these small differences can make a big difference in the end!
The Midsole
When it comes to the Offf-White™ Air Jordan 5, and the Off-White™ Air Jordan 1 for that matter, the midsole is one of the most important sections. After moving away from the deconstructed aesthetic of the Off-White™ Jordan 1, and the familiar “AIR” text, this shoe features a few unique elements of its own.
The Colour
Straight away, one of the easiest things to check for is the colour. On the real Off-White™, you can see that the midsole has a matte finish. This is what helps to give it its slick look, with minimal effort. However, you can see that the fake is far too glossy. In-person, the gloss finish is overpowering, taking away from the subtlety of the sneaker.
Another point is the outsole colour. This outsole should be slightly yellowed, having an aged look to it without being too much. The Jordan 5 replica, however, has a much brighter finish. In fact, it is quite difficult to look at. The colours are very contrasting, with the yellow colour not fitting the overall look of the shoe at all.
The Shark Teeth
Again, this is a small difference, but one that you should definitely keep your eye on. On the Jordan 5 authentic, there are a very small amount of dots placed on the shark teeth. However, the fake Jordan 5 is littered with them. If you want to know how to spot fake Off-White™ Jordan 5s, this is one detail to look for.
The Medial Text
As with all Off-White™ x Nike sneakers, the familiar medial text has been included on this Air Jordan 5. Now, unlike the usual visibility, this Off-White™ Jordan hides the text. As we already explained, this sneaker takes a different approach to previous Jordan x Off-White™ collaborations, with the medial text being one of them.
The text has always been a key part when authenticating a pair of Nike x Off-White™ sneakers. It is one detail that replicators have always struggled with. You can see on the fake Off-White™ Jordan 5 that the word “Beaverton” is hidden completely, yet on the real Jordan 5, it is not. Another point to note is that the text has been printed on an angle on the fake, however the real pair it is printed perfectly. If you want to know how to tell a fake Off-White™ Jordan 5, this could help you.
The Heel
As you would expect, the heel also has a few tell tale signs. With this being only the fourth Off-White™ Jordans and being nothing like the previous Off-White™ Air Jordan 1s, this sneaker has a few different sections to compare.
The Nike Air
Most Air Jordan 5s will have “Nike Air” on the back. It has been one of the defining factors of retro Jordan 5s and can provide an easy detail when looking at Jordan 5 replicas. In this particular Off-White™ fake vs real comparison, the “Nike Air” was a big giveaway.
You can see that the placement on the fake has the logo too high up. This is very evident when you have the sneaker side by side, but there is a much larger gap between the “Air” on the fake vs real Off-White™ Air Jordan 5. When looking at the real AJ5, you can see that the text is slightly above the sole but not too far up.
The UV Light
As with any Real vs Fake comparison, we’re heading to the UV studio. UV light can show up some hidden things that the regular naked eye cannot see. If you haven’t got one, we could not recommend them enough. They are relatively cheap and are used every day at KLEKT HQ when it comes to authenticating sneakers. Let’s take a look at just what the UV light showed us on the real vs fake Off-White™ Jordan 5.
The Upper
As you can see, the fake shoe lit up under the UV light. One of the key differences between the two is that the stitching on the fake pair lights up. These are called trace lines and are something that fake sneaker manufacturers are known to use. However, the stitching on the real does not light up at all.
Another area to take notice of is the “23” on the heel. On the fake pair, the 23 glows very brightly, something that is not seen on the real. This Jordan 5 real vs fake was much easier when we used a UV light!
The Sole
As you have already seen, the sole on the Jordan 5 fake is way too bright compared to the real. We’ve already explained that UV light can show up some small differences, with the sole having a few of its own.
In the image below you can see that the fake sole has a slightly yellow glow to it, very similar to mustard. However, the real Jordan 5 does glow but is a light colour. Another point to take note off is the “Nike” logo on the sole which doesn’t light up on the fake but slightly shines on the real.
Recap
If you ever want to know how to spot a fake Off-White™ Air Jordan 5 then just remember to check these areas:
- The Price – if it’s too good to be true then that usually means that it is!
- The Box – make sure that the label does not wrap around the box and that there is equal space on the Jumpman in the top right hand corner
- The Upper – check that the nylon is not too light, it should be a rich grey colour
- The Laces – these should not be too thin and the text printing should be clean, leaving no crinkling in the process
- The Midsole – does the midsole have a matte finish or is it glossy? Also how bright is the outsole and how many dots are on the shark teeth?
- The Medial Text – you should be able to see the word “Beaverton” and the rest of the text should be printed in a straight line
- The Heel – check that the Nike Air placement is not too high up on the heel
- The UV – does the stitching glow? Is the sole a yellow colour or is it clear? Does “Nike” glow?
Final Thoughts
That completes this week’s episode of Real vs Fake, we hope you enjoyed it! If you want to know how to tell fake Off-White™ Jordan 5s, just remember to flick back to this handy little guide. As always, if you want to make sure that you haven’t bought any fake Off-White™ Jordans, then head to KLEKT! Our dedicated team of authenticators do all the hard work for you, making sure that you don’t get caught out.
