Insight: The rebirth of the Jordan 1 Mid
The Nike Air Jordan 1 Mid is known for being one of the most hated Jordans, ridiculed as the "lesser Jordan" compared to its tall and short counterparts. In recent years though, the Mid has redeemed itself and is now loved by the masses. How did the Mid that was marginalized by the sneaker community get back into people's hearts? We explore the history of the Air Jordan 1 Mid from why it is considered a "bad" sneaker for many to how it managed to change all that.
The "Minor Jordan"
The Air Jordan 1 Mid is like the middle child in the family and doesn't get as much attention as the Air Jordan 1 High or Low .
When it comes to collecting sneakers, collectors do it for as many reasons as history, hype, and value – the Highs beat the Mids in every aspect. The Mid simply doesn't have the same rich history or histories that many sneakerheads look for when deciding whether to buy a pair, even against other mid-cut models like its Tinker Hatfield-designed Air Jordan 3 cousin.
Fewer advertising collaborations than those with celebrities like Travis Scott or designer brands like OFF-WHITE, and a lack of memorable signature colorways, the Mid simply doesn't make an impact or compare to its other counterparts. Their branding also differs with the OG Highs having the original "Nike Air" branding on the tongue giving it historic value while the Mids that come after it feature the new Jumpman logo and "Air" underneath it.
Coupled with lower quality leather and other materials like nylon, nubuck and suede used in the mids as opposed to the premium leather found on the Highs leads to lower value for the mids and has sealed its fate in not performing well in the mid market as well. resell. It's just the economy where it's just not worth the time and effort to camp out on the site for a shoe that won't sell out immediately and won't make much profit in the secondary market. No one really flexes on how they managed to win a Mid versus if they won a lottery for a High.
The worst is simply because the sneaker community always expects that a top-tier Air Jordan 1 Mid would one day come close to the top, but it doesn't always measure up (...). Unfortunately the constant confrontation between the two silhouettes and the "what ifs" has led to some feelings of disappointment and how it's never "good enough". These sentiments have even become part of the culture of the sneakerhead community to hate the Mids.
Are the mids really as the name suggests, really average or do they deserve a chance? We see redeeming qualities that have slowly warmed the Mids idea up to the community, and some pretty sick collaborations that fetch a pretty good price even on the secondary market.
First off, what's most interesting about the Air Jordan 1 Mids is how affordable and more affordable they are for a good-looking pair of sneakers. Not everyone can afford or get their hands on a pair of Retro Highs, while Mids might come in the exact same colourway for less and are much easier to use but still look great.
Mids are also great starter shoes for those who are new to collecting sneakers before deciding to invest in something much more expensive. They are also great sneakers for the casual collector, as they are affordable and easy to style into many outfits with their silhouette and range of colorways available.
Mids have proven they are capable of surprises with some successful kicks now worth over a thousand dollars in the resale market. With these kicks they were not only able to craft a story but also picked the right collaborators and pumped up the marketing such that it became a huge success.
The Melody Ehsani x Wmns Air Jordan 1 Mid 'Fearless' was part of Jordan Brand's 'Fearless Ones' collection and released in November 2019. Its bold color blocking of different bright colors that do not match on each side has resulted in a design that conveys the theme of the collection flawlessly. The main feature of the design is the dial that sits on the laces and the phrase "If you knew what you had was rare, you would never waste it." printed on the sole.
Another notable Mid is the Air Jordan 1 Mid "Milan" which was part of a three-piece City Pack. Taking inspiration from Italy's fashion capital, the sneaker features colors and textures that draw from the city's gothic architecture. The result was a subtle and elegant mix of earthy tones such as a tan color and grays with a leather MLN tag that gives a touch of refined Italian craftsmanship.
Sneaker culture and tastes are always evolving which is what makes it exciting and we don't know what the next big thing could be. The important thing is to always remember why you started collecting sneakers and just get what you love. Enjoy collecting or wearing what you really want, which is what makes money spent more at the end of the day. And who knows, if you're a secret collector of the Air Jordan 1 Mid, it might one day be the next big thing.
The "Minor Jordan"
The Air Jordan 1 Mid is like the middle child in the family and doesn't get as much attention as the Air Jordan 1 High or Low .
When it comes to collecting sneakers, collectors do it for as many reasons as history, hype, and value – the Highs beat the Mids in every aspect. The Mid simply doesn't have the same rich history or histories that many sneakerheads look for when deciding whether to buy a pair, even against other mid-cut models like its Tinker Hatfield-designed Air Jordan 3 cousin.
Fewer advertising collaborations than those with celebrities like Travis Scott or designer brands like OFF-WHITE, and a lack of memorable signature colorways, the Mid simply doesn't make an impact or compare to its other counterparts. Their branding also differs with the OG Highs having the original "Nike Air" branding on the tongue giving it historic value while the Mids that come after it feature the new Jumpman logo and "Air" underneath it.
Coupled with lower quality leather and other materials like nylon, nubuck and suede used in the mids as opposed to the premium leather found on the Highs leads to lower value for the mids and has sealed its fate in not performing well in the mid market as well. resell. It's just the economy where it's just not worth the time and effort to camp out on the site for a shoe that won't sell out immediately and won't make much profit in the secondary market. No one really flexes on how they managed to win a Mid versus if they won a lottery for a High.
The worst is simply because the sneaker community always expects that a top-tier Air Jordan 1 Mid would one day come close to the top, but it doesn't always measure up (...). Unfortunately the constant confrontation between the two silhouettes and the "what ifs" has led to some feelings of disappointment and how it's never "good enough". These sentiments have even become part of the culture of the sneakerhead community to hate the Mids.
Are the mids really as the name suggests, really average or do they deserve a chance? We see redeeming qualities that have slowly warmed the Mids idea up to the community, and some pretty sick collaborations that fetch a pretty good price even on the secondary market.
First off, what's most interesting about the Air Jordan 1 Mids is how affordable and more affordable they are for a good-looking pair of sneakers. Not everyone can afford or get their hands on a pair of Retro Highs, while Mids might come in the exact same colourway for less and are much easier to use but still look great.
Mids are also great starter shoes for those who are new to collecting sneakers before deciding to invest in something much more expensive. They are also great sneakers for the casual collector, as they are affordable and easy to style into many outfits with their silhouette and range of colorways available.
Mids have proven they are capable of surprises with some successful kicks now worth over a thousand dollars in the resale market. With these kicks they were not only able to craft a story but also picked the right collaborators and pumped up the marketing such that it became a huge success.
The Melody Ehsani x Wmns Air Jordan 1 Mid 'Fearless' was part of Jordan Brand's 'Fearless Ones' collection and released in November 2019. Its bold color blocking of different bright colors that do not match on each side has resulted in a design that conveys the theme of the collection flawlessly. The main feature of the design is the dial that sits on the laces and the phrase "If you knew what you had was rare, you would never waste it." printed on the sole.
Another notable Mid is the Air Jordan 1 Mid "Milan" which was part of a three-piece City Pack. Taking inspiration from Italy's fashion capital, the sneaker features colors and textures that draw from the city's gothic architecture. The result was a subtle and elegant mix of earthy tones such as a tan color and grays with a leather MLN tag that gives a touch of refined Italian craftsmanship.
Sneaker culture and tastes are always evolving which is what makes it exciting and we don't know what the next big thing could be. The important thing is to always remember why you started collecting sneakers and just get what you love. Enjoy collecting or wearing what you really want, which is what makes money spent more at the end of the day. And who knows, if you're a secret collector of the Air Jordan 1 Mid, it might one day be the next big thing.