Air Jordan 1 Retro High Flyknit “BHM” edition

When NBA legend Michael Jordan first sported his first pair of black-and-red Air Jordans on the court, he was banned and fined for contravening the league’s uniform code. But it turned out to be one of the legacies that Jordan left behind, and they are colorful ones.

Speaking of colorful, the Air Jordan 1 Retro High Flyknit “BHM” edition gets rather an eyeful of color as part of Nike’s and Air Jordan brand’s celebration of the Black History Month. It seems that in the last couple of years, basketball shoe brands have released special-edition sneakers as their way of honoring and celebrating historic moments through distinctive colorways and designs.  Nike is no stranger to that, and it continues to commemorate and honor the achievements of African Americans through releasing these special sneakers.

Unofficial image leaks of the shoe had been circulating since sometime in mid-2017 before the shoe was formally launched on February 1, 2018. It debuted at a retail price of $180 a pair.

While most of the Air Jordan 1 Retro High Flyknit “BHM” predominantly black, the colorways are otherwise reminiscent of a Pan-African flag, which the shoe actually is based on. The red, black and green colors are the most prominent in the tongue tag and on the outsoles. The tri-color part on the tongue part is superseded with the yellow (or more appropriately, gold) “Nike Air” along with the iconic “Swoosh” logo. When you turn the tongue over, it shows the initials “BHM” at the back of it. The white midsole gives an interesting contrast to the tri-color outsole. The colorways of this iteration are truly a far cry from its usual OG colorways.

Looking at the shoe’s liner, we see the “11-22-2016,” which is a significant date because this is where Michael Jordan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former president Barack Obama.

The use of the Flyknit on the original and vintage Air Jordan signature model, Jordan 1 BHM’s upper is a testament of Michael Jordan’s continuing and enduring status as a modern-day icon, on and off the court.

The shoes have been said to be lightweight and comfortable when worn. The full Flyknit upper on its silhouette seamlessly combines the components of stretch, ventilation and support. It obviously takes its design zones from the original Air Jordan 1, with the classic rubber outsoles which have the “Air” in the heel which provides lightweight cushioning.