A History of Air Jordan Collaborations

Once a rarity, Jordan Brand collaborations have been on the up and up in recent years.

By Brandon Richard

Once a rarity, Jordan Brand collaborations have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. The sneakers have helped sustain hype in the retro market, adding excitement to certain silhouettes and keeping some scarcity around Jordans in an era of plentiful general releases.

It started with Undefeated's Air Jordan 4 in 2005, a militaristic take on the classic sneaker packaged along with matching accessories. The baton was passed to Eminem, who also worked on the Air Jordan 4 that same year and returned for his own take on the Air Jordan 2 three years later. Since then, clothing companies, designers, artists, boutiques, and sneaker websites have all had the opportunity to add a personal touch to models from the iconic line.

With the Aleali May "Millennial Pink" Air Jordan 6s surfacing, we're taking a look back at the history of Jordan Brand collaborations. Scroll through the list below to see them all.

1. UNDFTD x Air Jordan 4

Year: 2005
Jordan Brand's first ever collaboration was an absolute game-changer from the moment pictures hit the internet. Limited to 72 pairs, the UNDFTD 4's olive oiled suede design was inspired by the MA-1 flight jacket. Over the past 10 years, it's become one of the most sought after shoes in the line.
2. Eminem x Air Jordan 4

Year: 2005
The ‘Eminem’ 4 has an argument for being one of the most collectible Air Jordans of all-time, fetching upwards of $30,000 on the open market. Just 50 pairs were created for Marshall’s friends and family, so getting your hands on one probably won’t get a lot cheaper.
3. Levi's x Air Jordan 1 23/501

Year: 2008
Michael Jordan is known for wearing the finest denim, so a partnership with Levi’s was a natural fit. The two parties churned out a leather and elephant denim paneled Air Jordan 1 with jean button-style eyelets. Tier 0 accounts received just 2,223 pairs of the Levi’s 1, making them highly collectible over the years.
4. Eminem x Air Jordan 2

Year: 2008
Available through the Jordan Flight Club, Eminem’s ‘The Way I Am’ Air Jordan 2 was a tribute to his first and favorite Jordan model. In reference to Em’s hometown of Detroit, 313 pairs of the shoe were made available to the public, making it slightly easier to obtain than the Eminem 4.
5. Vashtie x Air Jordan 2

Year: 2010
Vashtie Kola became the first woman to collaborate with the Jordan Brand via this 2010 pair. Her feminine Air Jordan 2, primarily decked out in lavender nubuck, rolled out at select Jordan accounts and quickly sold out.
6. Undertow x Air Jordan 2010

Year: 2010
Portland art trio Undertow brought their aquatic flavor to the 2010 game shoe. The 1-of-1 was auctioned off, with all proceeds going to charity.
7. Sole Collector x Jordan CMFT 11 SC Premier

Year: 2010
In October of 2010, Sole Collector hosted events at Niketowns in New York City and Los Angeles where attendees were given the opportunity to pick up the Jordan CMFT 11. The design was inspired by one of the Air Jordan 11's most distinctive attributes — the carbon fiber shank.
8. Dave White x Air Jordan 1 'Wings for the Future'

Year: 2011
In February 2011, Sole Collector hosted a series of auctions for U.K. artist Dave White’s ‘Wings for the Future’ Air Jordan 1. The best part about those auctions? The limited run of 23 pairs raised about $23,000 for charity, a fitting contribution.
9. Dave White x Air Jordan 1 DW

Year: 2012
During the 2012 NBA All-Star break, Dave White dropped another Air Jordan 1, this pair widely available at select Jordan retailers. The shoe borrows a bit from the Air Jordan 3 by placing some of its elephant print on the upper.
10. Undertow x Jordan Super.Fly

Year: 2012
Back for another round, the Undertow crew celebrated their sport-themed Hit Rewindies art show with a Jordan Super.Fly collaboration. Limited to a run of 23 pairs, the shoes were packaged with matching accessories and again auctioned off.
11. SoleFly x Jordan Spizike

Year: 2012
Celebrating its second anniversary, Miami-based boutique SoleFly linked up with Jordan Brand for this Miami Hurricanes-themed Spizike. Unfortunately, the shoes were limited to friends, family, and DJ Khaled.
12. Don C x Air Jordan 1 'BHM'

Year: 2013
Celebrating the 37th Anniversary of Black History Month, Jordan Brand teamed up with celebrity designer Don C for this Air Jordan 1 and snapback pack. Just 37 pairs were auctioned off on Ebay, with all proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
13. Dave White x Jordan Melo M9

Year: 2013
Jordan Brand teased this collaboration for nearly a year, then never released it. The design was a tribute to Carmelo Anthony's Olympic record 37-point performance against Nigeria in the 2012 Olympic Games.
14. OVO x Air Jordan 10 & 12

Year: 2014
The world got its first look at the "OVO" Air Jordan 10s and 12s back in 2014, but their release was slow. The 10s came first, with the white pair releasing in fall 2015, while the black pair the following Feb. The 12s didn't see a retail release until the fall of 2016 with the launch of the white edition, followed by the black in early 2017.
15. Craig Stecyk x Nike SB Air Jordan 1

Year: 2014
Rumored for years, Jordan’s collaboration with Nike Skateboarding got underway with the Craig Stecyk-designed Nike SB Air Jordan 1. Pulling cues from his ‘Northwest Passage’ art gallery showing in the late-80s, the shoe was treated to an iridescent finish and tribal heel branding.
16. Macklemore x Jordan Melo M10 'King Salmon'

Year: 2014
Tapped as the halftime performer for the 2014 Jordan Brand Classic, Macklemore worked on the "King Salmon" Melo M10 for the show. The bright pink colorway was symbolic of a Seattle fish market staple.
17. TEDxPortland x Air Jordan 1 'Perfect'

Year: 2014
The Portland chapter of TEDx selected the Air Jordan 1 as the "Perfect" shoe, then teamed up with Jordan Brand for two exclusive colorways. A limited run of 230 pairs were auctioned off and given away at special events.
18. SoleFly x Air Jordan 3 'Lotto'

Year: 2014
Inspired by the heritage of the shop's staff, SoleFly's "Lottery" look brought South Beach styling to the original "Cement" colorway of the Air Jordan 3s. Unfortunately, they were limited to friends and family.
19. Lance Mountain x Nike SB Air Jordan 1

Year: 2014
Lance Mountain’s mismatched Air Jordan 1 SBs were given an extra layer of wear-away paint as a salute to how skaters extended the life of their sneakers in the 80s. The sneakers released in black and white colorways that faded to show red and blue.
20. Public School x Air Jordan 1 Retro 'PSNY'

Year: 2014
Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, the designers behind New York-based fashion label Public School, brought premium flavor to the Air Jordan 1 over the summer of 2014. This shoe first released exclusively at the Jordan x Footaction Flight 23 store in NYC.
21. Macklemore x Air Jordan 6

Year: 2014
Seemingly out of nowhere, Macklemore unveiled his "SharkFace Gang" Air Jordan 6 PEs to the world in 2014. Both colorways were limited to 23 pairs and given to friends and family. He's since unveiled more Jordan 6 exclusives.
22. Slam Dunk x Jordan

Year: 2014
After featuring many Air Jordans during the 6-year run of the Japanese manga Slam Dunk, creator Takehiko Inoue teamed up with the Jordan Brand to create two of his own. The Air Jordan 6 and Super.Fly 3 represent two eras of flight with reflective graphics from the series printed on the uppers.
23. Fragment Design x Air Jordan 1

Year: 2014
Hiroshi Fujiwara brought a new twist to the original "Black Toe" colorway, with Fragment's bolt stamped on the heel to mark the collab. This was an important Jordan release, having been the first "remastered" Air Jordan 1 to hit retail.
24. Public School x Air Jordan 10

Image via Complex

Year: 2015
On the heels of their successful Air Jordan 1 collaboration, New York-based fashion label Public School unveiled two friends and family-exclusive collaborative colorways of the Air Jordan 10 in 2015.
25. Dover Street Market x Air Jordan 1

Year: 2015
Simplicity has become a hallmark of Dover Street Market collaborations, and this 2015 drop was no exception to that rule. The patent leather shoe went for big money at first, but the resell price was diluted after subsequent releases.
26. Don C x Air Jordan 2

Image via Nike

Image via Nike

Year: 2015
A women's handbag may seem like an unlikely inspiration for an Air Jordan collaboration, but that was the exact story behind Don C's Air Jordan 2s that released in early 2015. More colorways followed in 2016 and 2017.
27. Nicki Minaj x Jordan Jasmine

Year: 2015
Dubbed the "Pink Print Jordans" by Nicki herself, this exclusive colorway of the Jasmine has been spotted on Minaj, although it never saw a release.
28. Don C x Air Jordan 1 BHM

Year: 2015
Following up on their 2013 BMH collaboration, Don C and Jordan Brand once again teamed up and auctioned off 39 pairs (in honor of the 39th anniversary of Black History Month) of exclusive Air Jordan 1s.
29. Public School x Jordan Melo M11

Year: 2015
Inspired by Metro Cards, a familiar means of transportation for New Yorkers, these two PSNY colorways of M11 hit the web in 2015, but no release ever surfaced.
30. Entourage x Jordan CP3.VIII

Year: 2015
This CP3.VIII wasn't the first sneaker connected to Entourage, and it may be the least memorable compared to the Air Force 1s, Dunks, and even LeBrons the show has been associated with in the past, but it is the most recent collaboration to reference the hit show and movie.
31. Supreme x Air Jordan 5

Year: 2015
Supreme has been one of the most prolific collaborators in the sneaker game for years, teaming up with pretty much every brand imaginable. It took until 2015 for an Air Jordan collaboration to materialize, though. The New York City skateshop outfitted three pairs of Air Jordan 5s and mayhem ensued.
32. OVO x Air Jordan 8

Year: 2015
It's been two years since they were first spotted, but the black and white "OVO" Air Jordan 8s look like they may finally see a retail release.
33. Eminem x Air Jordan 4

Year: 2015
This collaboration was auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting Eminem's Marshall Mathers Foundation and earning over $227,000 for the cause. A rumored 313 pairs of these sneakers were made, a reference to Detroit's area code.
34. PSNY x Air Jordan 12

Image via Jordan Brand

Year: 2015
Unlike their Air Jordan 10 collaboration, the PSNY 12s actually hit retail—first with a grey colorway in late-2015, and later with a pack of regional exclusives in 2017.
35. PSNY x Jordan Horizon

Year: 2015
Lacking in prestige in comparison to PSNY's retro collaborations, this limited Jordan Horizon release featured a patterned mesh upper, and custom branding on the tongue tag, insole, and sole.
36. OVO x Air Jordan 8 'U.K.'

Year: 2016
These University of Kentucky-themed and "OVO" co-branded Air Jordan 8s were first seen on Drake's feet back in 2016, but have yet to see a retail release. The chance to get them remains a possibility though based on how long other "OVO" footwear has been seen in advance of its eventual launch.
37. Trophy Room x Air Jordan 23

Image via Nike

Year: 2016
In honor of the opening of Marcus Jordan's Trophy Room boutique, two pairs of Air Jordan 23s were created—one in black, and a more limited edition in white.
38. SoleFly x Jordan Eclipse

Image via SoleFly

Year: 2016
Miami boutique SoleFly released a series of three collaborations with Jordan Brand in 2016. The first was the Jordan Eclipse in two colorways, both inspired by Mars.
39. Laika x Air Jordan 15 'Kubo'

Year: 2016
For the release of the film Kubo and the Two Strings, animation studio Laika collaborated on an Air Jordan 15 that was reworked by the shoe's original designer, Tinker Hatfield. The left and right shoes were mismatched, with blue trim on the right, and red on the left. Along with a series of giveaways, 220 pairs were auctioned off to benefit Matthew and Camila McConaughey's Just Keep Livin Foundation.
40. Trophy Room x Jordan Reveal

Year: 2016
While not exactly a coveted model, Trophy Room's Jordan Reveal collaboration is notable for it's availability in full-family sizing. The colorway utilized yellow and green accents inspired by 2016's Rio Olympics and as a nod to the Brazilian population in Trophy Room's hometown of Orlando.
41. Trophy Room x Jordan Hydro 5 Slide

Image via Trophy Room

Year: 2016
Alongside its Jordan Reveal collaboration, Trophy Room dropped two colorways of the Hydro 5 slide, which featured Trophy Room branding on the side of the forefoot.
42. SoleFly x Air Jordan 23 'Marlins'

Year: 2016
For its Air Jordan 23 collaboration, SoleFly took inspiration from the colors of their hometown Miami Marlins. While limited, the pair released both in store and online.
43. Trophy Room x Air Jordan 16

Year: 2016
Trophy Room's Air Jordan 16s featured tonal "French Blue" uppers, and had the boutique's name embroidered on the shroud. The sneaker's release was promoted by DJ Khaled when 5,000 pairs were launched in late 2016.
44. SoleFly x Air Jordan 16 'Art Basel'

Year: 2016
SoleFly's third Jordan Brand collaboration of 2016 offered an Art-Basel-inspired take on the Air Jordan 16. It featured vibrant trim along with an ostrich leather textured shroud. The release was limited to 1,500 pairs, which launched in December during the annual art festival.
45. Kaws x Air Jordan 4

Image via High Snobiety on Instagram

Year: 2017
A Kaws and Jordan Brand collaboration may have felt like something that should have happened a decade earlier, but a project finally materialized in early 2017. Along with a collection of apparel was a heavily hyped and limited Air Jordan 4 covered entirely in grey suede, detailed with Kaws' signature "X" branding and tonal embroidery. A second, black version of the project is rumored to be coming soon.
46. Mark Wahlberg x Jordan Formula 23

Image via DeadstockNYC on Twitter

Image via Mark Wahlberg on Instagram

Year: 2017
On the long list of celebrities associated with Jordan Brand, Mark Wahlberg's name is near the top. That said, it wasn't a surprise to see the actor finally work on a collaborative project with the brand. Thus far though, this Wahlburgers-themed Formula 23 remains a friends and family exclusive.
47. Atmos x Air Jordan 3

Year: 2017
Released as part of Nike's 2017 Air Max Day celebration, the Atmos Air Jordan 3 flipped the model's standard elephant print with safari. It released in a two-pack along with an Air Jordan 3-inspired Air Max 1.
48. DJ Khaled x Jordan Brand

Year: 2017
In celebration of his album Grateful (or "Greatful"), DJ Khaled collaborated with Jordan Brand on three models, including the Fly 89, Superfly 2017, and Air Jordan 3. Although the collaboration hasn't seen an official relase, pairs have been available to the public via giveaways.
49. Transformers x Air Jordan 5

Year: 2017
Mark Wahlberg, star of the Transformers movie series, first showed off this unreleased collaboration on his Instagram account earlier this summer. It features the Transformers logo visible through its translucent sole, and an "84" on the heel, which ties to the debut of the franchise's TV series.
50. SoleFly x Jordan 1 Modero

Year: 2017
SoleFly released its first collaborative slide with Jordan Brand in August of 2017. This Modero was limited to just 50 pairs and utilized the Air Jordan 1 tooling along with premium leather.
51. Virgil Abloh x Air Jordan 1

Year: 2017
This deconstructed and recreated Air Jordan 1 was one of 10 collaborative sneakers included in Virgil Abloh's "The Ten" collection. Limited quantities of the shoe released during 2017's New York Fashion Week, and a wider launch is coming in November.
52. PSNY x Air Jordan 15

Image via Retail Store

Image via Frank Cooker

Image via Getty

Year: 2017
PSNY dropped two colorways (black suede and olive woven) of Air Jordan 15 collaborations as a surprise quickstrike during fashion week. A third version in olive suede also popped up, although it wasn't included in the release. Making the most noise, though, was a knee-high boot variation on the collaboration.
53. Trophy Room x Air Jordan 17

Year: 2017
While there is still no release info on the project, Trophy Room previewed a grey and gold Air Jordan 17 collaboration on its Snapchat. A suggestive "Coming Soon?" caption accompanied the photo.
54. Aleali May x Air Jordan 6

Year: 2017
Stylist and fashion blogger Aleali May unveiled a friends and family-exclusive Air Jordan collaboration dubbed "Millennial Pink." Although this pair appears to not be slated for a launch, she did allude to more with the brand by saying her Jordan 6 was, "the start of something great."