When early reports suggested that an Off-White™ Air Jordan 5 collaboration was in the works the sneaker world was excited. Months of teasers, early leaks and rumours culminated last week, thanks to the Off-White™ show at Paris Fashion Week. Virgil Abloh unveiled the silhouette in glorious fashion, pairing the classic basketball sneaker with a number of pieces. What many probably did not expect, however, was a clothing drop to launch alongside the sneaker.
For All-Star Weekend, Nike and Jordan have recruited some of the world’s leading designers to celebrate the basketball weekend returning to Chicago for the first time since 1988. As part of this collection, dubbed the “8×8”, Nike has asked eight Chicago natives to design clothes that reflect the city. Abloh, a proud patron of the Windy City, has created a number of items that reflect his love of Jordan.
Taking inspiration from Michael Jordan’s iconic Flight Suit, Abloh has constructed a woven jacket, hoodie, T-shirt, trousers and a boiler suit to release alongside the upcoming Air Jordan 5. Using the same black and grey colour blocking as the famous piece worn by His Airness, the collection takes a more refined approach compared to previous Off-White™ x Nike collabs.
A large graphic on the back is the show-stopping piece on this collaboration. Abloh has seamlessly blended his Off-White™ Arrow logo with the classic Wings logo. Replacing the traditional “Air Jordan” in the banner is “Off-White™”; a simple twist that brings these two fashion powerhouses together. Fans also have the chance to cop the Off-White™ x Air Jordan 5 alongside this drop. The Air Jordan 5 is turning 30 this year; a landmark achievement for any shoe.
With Nike and Jordan bringing so much community spirit into this All-Star Weekend, it’s exciting to see how Chicago natives are reworking an important part of their city.
Image Source: Off-White™
