Inside the Vault

Few shoes have transcended sport as soon as they hit the court. Some would say the Air Jordan XI did just that. Although first worn by number 23 in the iconic Concord colourway, it was in the black and red iteration that MJ captured arguably the most emotional title of his career, cementing the Black/Red XI as one of the most memorable Jumpman models.

1996: The one that started it all. High-cut patent leather with white edges, ballistic mesh and the ever-so-classic black, red and white colour scheme. During its original run, it was released in two different boxes; a standard Nike "Just Do It" box and the classic Air Jordan two-piece box.

The 2001 drop was one of the most sought-after retro releases at the time. This iteration took on a slightly different look and arrived in the much-appreciated black and silver Air Jordan face box that donned the likeness of the greatest to ever play the game. Unique to the era of retros, they were also accompanied by a Jordan Retro Card that brought additional storytelling into the mix.

One of the most unique of the Air Jordan series, the 2008 Countdown Pack combined models for two-shoe sets that added to the number 23. Released alongside the AJ XII, the black and red AJ XI was packaged in a two-shoe foldable box.

Packaged in a simple Jumpman branded box, the silhouette of the 2012 Air Jordan XI differed slightly from previous iterations, but still maintained the same look of the coveted classic.

Now in 2019, the black and red Air Jordan XI is back. From the high-cut patent leather to the white edges, the new release brings back all the original details and arrives in a box reminiscent of the one that first housed the iconic design.