While the clothing will mainly appeal to Dior fans who are already familiar with Jones’ elevated tailoring, it’s the hype of the limited-edition Air Jordan 1 High OG and Low that have got the internet going nuts. For Lotti, the Air Jordan 1 High OG is a timeless statement of bold defiance. “Celebrated around the world, the silhouette epitomises a true style icon, and has continued to be the perfect canvas for our team and collaborators to leverage as we continue to push the Jordan Brand forward."
Staying true to its original spec, Jones and Dior’s Men’s Head Footwear Designer, Thibo Denis, set about reimagining the shoe in the élan of the Parisian ateliers of Dior Homme. One of the most interesting points about the design is that it is the first Jordan model to be crafted entirely in Italy in over 30 years. (The last ones to be made in Italy were the Air Jordan 2s back in 1986.) “The Air Jordan 1 High OG Dior is entirely ‘Made in Italy’. We used Italian leather and we worked on the construction exactly in the same way we would have crafted a bag, with painted edges and special stitching,” says Jones. The most apparent innovation is the hard sole, which is transparent with a printed logo – there’s a different logo on each foot, for example the Air Dior Wings and the Dior logo. “This transparency is made possible only by using a special rubber in a specific colour,” explains Jones.
When thinking about the colourway, Jones and Thibo looked to the Neutral 85 Jordans, a style that is rumoured to return in 2021. Despite serving as a popular colourway in the 80s, Nike and Jordan Brand have notably strayed away from Neutral Grey in favour of more vivid, colour-based design schemes. But when it came to the Dior team putting their touch on the Italian-made sneaker, it was essential to pay tribute to Dior’s first shades – a colour synonymous with the Maison since its founding in 1947. The silhouette is created with the fine calf-leather that characterises Maison Dior’s leather goods, edge-painted and accented by an upper of buttery white leather. The remix of the iconic Jumpman Wings logo is embossed on the upper and features the words ‘AIR DIOR’.