The powers that be at Jordan brand decided thats it’s too early to show or tell us anything about the upcoming Air Jordan 23. But that couldn’t stop me from me from giving my own take on it.
Now, this isn’t just idle speculation, it’s idle speculation combined with years of obsession with the Air Jordan, plus countless interviews with people involved with its design, mainly designer Tinker Hatfield and one Michael Jeffrey Jordan. I;ve been a Jordan head as long as it’s been possible to be one, and over the last decade or so, I’ve become quite familiar with the Jordan design process.
Just a few more things before we get to the Air Jorda 23 (XX3). THe reason Hatfield became a sneaker legend aside from his designs was his then-revolutionary idea to work with the athlete in the design process. Also, past Air Jordans have been inspired by World War II fighter planes (Air Jordan 5),Ferraris (Air Jordan 14) and stealth fighters (Air Jordan 22).
So that’s where we start: Michael Jordan’s life and some piece of technology as dual points of inspiration. While Michael has returned to basketball leadership with the Charlotte Bobcats, his true passion of late has been motorcycle racing. And while his Jordan Suzuki team races on Suzuki GSX-Rs, I think the Jordan XX3 will take inspiration from a more exotic model like the Ducati Desmosedici RR. Lightweight and scary fast, the Desmosedici is essentially a streamlined engine. I can see portions of the XX3 outsole being made of soft, sticky treadless rubber and the upper combining sleek lines up front and exposed function toward the heel.
In homage to the original Air Jordan, the first Air Jordan 23 colorway should be black and red with a white midsole echoing the model that was “banned” by the NBA. The upper should combine real leather and state of the art synthetics.
What else? I think it will have strictly double stack Zoom Air, and an exposed carb onshank plate(similar to that found in the XI and XII). Other elements from earlier shoes should return as well, in updated forms. The reflective tongue from the V, the vents from the XIV (only more Ducati than Ferrari), ballistic mesh side panels a la XI/IV/V. While the XX2′s design empasized the stitching, the XX3 will hide more of it, building a sleeker shoe. Along with the vents, the Ducati influence can emerge in an exposed red carbon heel counter and a dark tinted plastic inset in the tongue with the Jumpman lasered into it. And there should also be atleast one classic ball and wing logo somewhere.
And most importantly, no extraneous parts. Just the best basketball shoe on the planet for the best basketball player on the planet. The way it’s always been, and the way it always should be.
By Russ Bengtson
