Air Jordan Shoe X - XII

Air Jordan X (1994)

Nike was caught off guard with Michael Jordans sudden return to the court.  Before releasing the Jordan X, they re-released several older Jordan models.  The Air Jordan X is nothing special and relatively plain even when you stop to consider that the white/black/light steel grey colorway looks like it just broke out of prison or a herd of zebras.  The design is clearly a combination of several older Jordans.

The Air Jordan VII was met with strong feelings of love or hate. This is the first of the Air Jordans to create division among the ranks of loyal fans and customers.

Air Jordan XI (1995)

The Air Jordan XI heralded a triple comeback; Jordans return to the NBA, the return of designer Tinker Hatfield, and disappointingly, the return of the unpopular clear soles that yellowed with age.

While the design of this model was premium, the quality was sadly lacking and despite the release of low-top versions, the Jordan XI was not the most popular of all the Air Jordan shoes.

When the Jordan XI's were retroed in 2000-2001 they became the fastest selling, most popular Jordan retros of all.

Air Jordan XII (1996)

The Jordan XII was a completely new design for Air Jordan shoes with ribbed leather that matched and blended with the midsoles. This unique design was inspired by the flag of the Japanese Army & Navy in which the red circle is surrounded by a sunset.

The Jordan XII was the most durable Air Jordan to date, but they did have one major flaw.  The Jordan XII attracted dirt easily and were hard to clean.

In September 1997 Nike decided to launch a new sub-brand of Nike called Jordan Brand. The Jordan XII was the first Jordan shoe of the new Jordan brand and was also the first Air Jordan that did not have a Nike logo or Swoosh.