Style of the Jordan 13 Retro Low White Varsity Maize
Few shoes in the history of sneakers are as iconic as Air Jordans, and few Jordans are as iconic as the 13, which released in 1997. Like all but two of the Air Jordan models worn on court by MJ himself, the 13 was designed by Tinker Hatfield. The AJ 13 represents a close collaboration between the designer and the athlete: Hatfield came to Jordan with an idea, but Jordan offered feedback that would shape the final result.
Jordan 13 History and Design: The Black Cat
After designing ten other iterations of the Air Jordan—one each year starting with the 3—Hatfield needed fresh inspiration for the new model. He found that one day while he watched Michael play—suddenly, it all clicked. Jordan’s grace, power, the audacity of his offense, the way he conserved his energy only to spring at the perfect moment: he looked like a panther. Hatfield got to work right away. When he showed the design to Jordan, the story goes, Hatfield referred to his concept as the “Black Cat” and Jordan was floored – Black Cat was his nickname among his closest friends. And so, the 13 was born.
The Black Cat or panther concept was worked into nearly every aspect of the final product by the time of release. It represented not only a big step forward for the brand aesthetically, but technologically as well. The first Nike shoe ever designed on a computer, it includes a number of high-tech features such as a carbon fiber footplate, a holographic logo, and reflective mesh side panels.
Early sketches called for a strap so that Michael could easily adjust the tightness of the shoe on the fly during a game, but after trying on different prototypes, Jordan nixed the idea. He said that the shoe shouldn’t have anything on it that wasn’t necessary. He wanted simplicity and performance—the result was a streamlined, stylish sneaker that was also the lightest Air Jordan Nike had ever produced.
Jordan 13 Retro Low White Varsity Maize 2005
The Jordan 13 Retro Low White Varsity Maize was released on May 21, 2005. It has a predominantly white leather upper with hits of black at the heel and part of the midfoot. Yellow highlights the outsole, and the midsole is in a paw-like white and black design. A hidden lacing system completes the look. For traction, the sneakers feature herringbone pods in strategic areas. The cushioning consists of full-length Phylon and Zoom Air units in the forefoot and heels. There is also a carbon fiber midfoot shank plate to enhance the support of these shoes.
