Brainchild of designers Bruce Kilgore (Creator of Nike Air Force One) and Peter Moore, the Air Jordan 2 made its first debut in 1986 dressed in a white/red colorway (OG). After suffering from a foot injury that Jordan sustained in his second season, the Jordan 2 was given special attention. As opposed to the traditional cup-sole, the designers introduced a full length “Nike Air” cushioned mid-sole making the Jordan II much more “safe” and comfortable to play in.
The OG colorway’s release was followed a year later by the release of three more colorways in 1987. These were:
- Original White / Black
- Original Low White / Black
- Original Low White / Red
This was the first time a shoe had crossed the $100 mark due to the manufacturing costs involved in getting the shoe made in Italy instead of Asia. The usage of soft leather and faux lizard skin made the Jordan 2 look and feel more stylish and in line with the world of high fashion. This added to the popularity of the shoe and according to sales, became as sought after a shoe as the Air Jordan 1. In 1986-87, the Air Jordan II retailed at $105.00.
All Original Air Jordan IIs were made in Italy. Rumor has it that after the Original Air Jordan 2 model’s release the mold used to create the shoe was either destroyed or stolen. In 1994-95, the Air Jordan II re-released. It is said that Nike had to dissect the Original pair because the original mold was lost, and repeated this procedure on the 1994-95 retros when the AJ 2 was once again re-released in 2004.
The high-top version of the AJ 2 was re-released in 1995 along with the lows. Just like the Originals, they had a price tag of $105.00, except this time they did not do well at all in terms of sales. They could be found on shelves for as low as $20! The AJ 2 was revived in 2004 once again, this time with a price tag of $110.00 and AJ 2 lows were released in the same year retailing for $100.
Today, the Air Jordan 2 is back in the Chicago colorway and continues to enjoy all the attention it deserves. It also received a gym red treatment not so long ago and got love when Golden Eagles released the low in an Exclusive make-up.