Jordan 11 Retro Low IE

This sleek Jordan 11 Retro Low IE features a winning combination of materials in a colour scheme based on the shoe worn by Michael Jordan in the 1996 movie Space Jam, with which it shares its name. Its lighter lower half is comprised of a translucent rubber outsole and a spongy Phylon foam midsole, the former tinged blue, the latter all-white. Curved grip lines billow across the outsole, only stopping for the opaque pods set into the forefoot and heel. These sections have their own tread formations – herringbone grip patterns zigzagging over them – as well as a bold complexion of Concord purple.

Meanwhile, a lightweight carbon fibre plate is visible behind the see-through part of the outsole, its duo of grey tones forming a grid design across its surface. A white Jumpman then appears in the centre of this supportive structure, and the foam of the midsole can be seen behind it. A full-length cushion of Nike Air fills out the interior of this comfort-giving feature, while its white exterior provides a stunning contrast against the black of the upper.

A typically shiny surface encircles much of the upper, but not in the way normally associated with an Air Jordan 11. The IE model inventively mixes things up by going with a smooth leather toe cap in matte black, while its patent leather mudguard, also in black, has a number of triangular pieces cut out of it and a break at the toe which has been filled with parallel lines of stitching for an intriguing aesthetic. Through these gaps, a broad mesh can be viewed, and a narrower mesh covers the area above the mudguard.

Thick ridges reach upwards along the quarter in parallel lines that stop just before its jagged top edge, which creates broad teeth-like structures, each containing a single eyelet. These accommodate the black laces that criss-cross over a tongue combining mesh and smooth leather on its lower half. Its upper half, meanwhile, is lined with black leather and has a Concord Jumpman embroidered into it. The top of the collar has a bulging band of soft, puffy material, which is mirrored by the plush inner lining and insole, all again in black. Finally, the insole displays a final Jumpman logo, this time in bright white to forge a compelling tonal variation that concludes this suave, polished Air Jordan low-top.