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The original Air Jordan 1s are arguably the most iconic sneaker of all time, but are a relatively far cry from what the Jordan high-tops would become. For the 1987-88 season, Nike was cooking up something special for MJ’s third signature model. Fresh off of designing the Air Max 1, Tinker Hatfield was then tapped for his first-ever Jordan branded shoe in 1988. The result was the Air Jordan 3. Conveying the designer’s architectural influence, the shoe looked ahead of its time and informed the next several decades of basketball footwear. It was also the first Jordan with a visible Air unit in the heel. For their latest retro-inspired release, Nike is giving the Air Jordan 3 the “Medium Olive” treatment to help accentuate the model’s nuanced design.
Made to evoke heritage and outdoor excursions with your family during the autumn season, the colorway has also been dubbed “Family Affair” with its superb balance of olive tones. The majority of the upper is made of a luxe leather material in a darker green, while the collar, tongue, and lower toe box feature a lighter olive hue. The sneaker still gets its hallmark design traits such as the elephant print overlay towards the heel, the mud guard below it, and the Jumpman logo on the tongue (the AJ3 was the first to feature the Jumpman on the tongue).
On your feet, the Air Jordan 3 is one of the most comfortable ever, with a plush collar, a flexible yet supportive foam midsole, and, of course, the Air unit in the front and back of your foot. Embedded into the Sail-white midsole, the heel Air unit is visible just like on the original models.
Underfoot, the rubber outsole gives you plenty of traction on both pavement and the hardwood. The gum-brown color here perfectly complements the olive shades above.
Priced at $215, the Air Jordan 3 Retro “Medium Olive” is available now from Nike’s web store.
