words & images_Nick DePaulaAfter twenty-three years, the Jordan Jumpman had become one of the most globally iconic logos and silhouettes in the athletic industry, and D'Wayne Edwards, Jordan Brand Design Director, figured it was time to switch things up. You may not have even noticed, but it all started with the Jordan Melo M5 last fall, as the logo when welded took on more texture and depth. "It was a design language change that we made for this year. We just basically wanted to make it look like a real person," explains Edwards. "We were over in Milan, and the churches there are phenomenal. They're all hand sculpted and carved out, and that's where the idea came from."
While it might not be the most drastic shift for the brand's history, something as fundamental as a logo alteration is certainly worth noting, and as the brand evolves past the numbered series of Air Jordans and looks ahead to the future, it's yet another way to differentiate themselves from their past products. "We actually are making the Jumpman look like a real person, but the pose also came from a real photograph, so we wanted to make it look like the photograph," Edwards reveals.
Take a look for yourself, as we compared the Jordan Melo M4 and last fall's Jordan Melo M5.
Jordan Melo M4 - Notice the flat, texture-less appearance of the logo.
Jordan Melo M5 - The logo takes on more definition.
A closer look:
