If you were around in the 90’s, then there’s a very good chance that you owned (or at least knew about) Air Jordan's. These Nike branded sneakers were created and endorsed by the one and only Michael Jordan during his Chicago Bull playing days. Being one of the most iconic basketball players in the NBA at the time, Michael was the perfect public figure to market these sneakers.  

 The very first Air Jordan 1 sneaker was produced in 1984 and released to the public in 1985.  Since then many different variations have hit the market as the Air Jordan brand continues to grow.  The last new addition to the Air Jordan clan was the AJ XXXI that was released in 2016.  But of all the different editions that have been created over the years one that remains among the most popular of all them, even today, is the Air Jordan 12 and the Air Jordan 12 Retro.

 Time to get retro

The original Air Jordan 12’s were released between 1996-1997. At this time there were five different colorways on offer, and they were the first ever Air Jordan’s to feature Zoom Air. Due to their intense popularity, the Air Jordans were retroed in 2003 - 2004, 2008 - 2009, 2011 - 2013, and 2015 - 2016 and are still highly sought after today.  The design of the original Air Jordan 12 was inspired by two things: the Nisshoki (the Japanese flag), and a type of women’s shoe from the 19th century (hence where the high heel came from).   

The first release of the Air Jordan 12 Retro made nike.com crash. The company offered an online exclusive to ‘Team Jordan’ members only, sending them a URL along with a date and time in which to buy the new Nubuck edition sneaker. The amount of traffic enticed to the site at once caused major problems and crashed the site as a result.  So, what may have seemed like a good marketing idea at the time, really wasn’t. By the end of 2004, ten different Air Jordan 12 Retros had been released, including a women’s edition and the first ever low top version of the Air Jordan 12’s.  

Between 2008 and 2009, the second wave of the Air Jordan 12 Retros hit the market.  Again, the Nubuck edition was released.  This time it was accompanied by three more colorways including the ‘Rising Sun’ edition.  Another two years passed before the third wave of Air Jordan 12 Retros were released in 2011. This wave consisted of not one, but three retro releases, including the re-release of the original Obsidian and the Playoff edition.  Two more colorways of the Air Jordan 12 Retro were released at the end of 2013 to finish the third wave.  The latest wave of Air Jordan 12 Retros to be released included the fabulous “Flu Game” version in May 2016.   

The rich and famous

 The Air Jordan 12 Retro has proved its worth time and time again as countless celebrities have been known to don these sneakers.  Some of the most obvious being Mr. Jordan himself and fellow teammates such as Scottie Pippen and Luc Longley.   Others that are happy to have a retro air Jordan pair among their shoe collection include Odell Beckham Jr., Fetty Wap, Allyson Felix, and Rick Ross to name just a few.  Obviously, these people have class.  Drake is also a very big fan of authentic Jordan sneakers and is no stranger to receiving gifts from Nike.  One recent gift he received happened to be a custom-made pair of Stone Island Air Jordan 12’s.

 Popular Designs

There’s such a huge variation in sneaker when it comes to the Air Jordan 12.  Some of the most popular Air Jordan 12 Retros to date are the Nubuck (released in 2003) and Flu Game (released in 2009) editions for men and French Blues for women (released in 2004).  The Nubuck Retro 12 is pretty much the first Melo to be released.  When these sneakers were first launched, they came as part of a $200 package that included both a hoodie and a hat.  The famous Flu Game Retro 12’s were aptly named due to Jordan’s illness during the 1997 NBA Finals.  Despite his poorly condition, Jordan battled on helping the Bulls take the lead and win the title, all while wearing his Flu Game Air Jordan 12 Retros.  Maybe it the shoes that made them win.

A new colorway for the Jordan 12’s that’s just been released may also prove very popular and it’s called the Air Jordan 12 Retro Dark Grey.  It comes just one month after the release of the Air Jordan 12 Retro Bordeaux and is ready to turn some heads.  Based on a dark grey theme with a white rubber midsole, with gold eyelets in a suede and pebbled leather look, these sneakers will add a touch of class to everywhere they go. It’s impossible not to look good in the new Air Jordan 12 Retro Dark Grey.  So, what are you waiting for?  Get yourself a pair of retro Air Jordans today.

Look no further

If you’re looking for a place to buy authentic Jordan sneakers that will provide you with a professional, friendly service and has one of the biggest ranges of Air Jordans around, then look no further, GB’s is your solution.  From classic retro styles like to all the latest designs, including the Air Jordan 12 Retro Dark Grey and Bordereaux editions there’s something to please everyone here. We are your one-stop sneaker store.  So pick up the phone, come on down, or shop online.  We’re never far away and are always more than happy to help!  Whatever your sneaker need, you know you can rely on GB’s.