The Jordan 23 Retro x SoleFly Goes Florida Marlins Turquoise
Michael Jordan and the number 23 are forever linked, so it's no surprise that the Air Jordan's 23rd iteration would be more than just another sneaker. The Jordan Brand truly elevated its shoe design and manufacturing game to make the XX3 a triple threat of performance, style and sustainability.
The Air Jordan 23 Design: MJ's Signature Stamp
The OG Air Jordan XX3 was released in early 2008, followed by a retro version in late 2015. The XX3s are also referred to as the AJ XX3, XXIII or the 23. Once again, the Jordan Brand entrusted Tinker Hatfield to develop the concept, lead the design team and bring the sneaker to life. The directive was clear—create the most innovative basketball shoe ever designed using environmentally preferred materials and manufacturing processes.
The XX3 was the first shoe developed under the Nike Considered design ethos, which formalized the company's effort to adopt sustainable, responsible manufacturing and business practices. The XX3's design reduced waste in production, minimized the use of chemicals and glues with adverse environmental impact and incorporated responsibly sourced materials such as recycled Nike Grind rubber. Every pair of XX3s included a DVD containing interviews with MJ, Hatfield and designer Mark Smith discussing the process and strategy behind the shoe.
Michael Jordan said, "The AIR JORDAN XX3 is deeply meaningful to me, as a celebration of both my life and career. The number 23 is obviously of great significance to me, and the release of the XX3 is a pinnacle moment in the Brand's history." These are some of the special details that went into the XX3:
- "23" on the left shoe's tongue and the Jumpman logo on the right
- Jordan's signature is all over the design, literally—his thumbprint appears on the back of the tongue, his fingerprint serves as the mold for the pattern on the outsole and his written signature is inscribed on the toe cap
- The upper features an intricate MJ stitching pattern created with a Nike-exclusive 3D stitching machine revolutionized when the shoe was first developed in 2008
Jordan 23 Retro x SoleFly Florida Marlins 2016
The Jordan Brand teamed up with Miami-based retailer SoleFly for the Florida Marlins 2016 colorway release on the Jordan 23 Retro silhouette. The shoe is coated entirely in Hyper Turquoise hues including its leather toe, laces, tongue, mesh ankle, and inner sock liner. A traditional large overlay covers the side panels and heel, though its signature stitching is much more subtle in this monochrome pattern. The contoured midsole takes on a slightly darker shade of Hyper Turquoise, underlining the overlay. A translucent Hyper Turquoise coats the outer sole, leading to a classic fingerprint tread texture on the bottom sole. Perforation holes create an intricate design on the tongue and provide extra breathability for the foot. This Florida Marlins colorway debuted on October 22 of 2016.
