eBay, the O.G. of online sneaker resale, is here to give sneakerheads the heads up on how to score with this summer’s big drops. Over the last three weeks, HYPEBEAST and eBay have broken down the most anticipated colorways for the biggest silhouettes. In this final installment: it’s gotta be the shoes.
In 1984, Nike introduced the world to the Air Jordan.
No one knew it would soon be called the Jordan 1 -- or that 30 other shoes would follow it. All they knew is the rookie star, Michael Jordan (with Jordans on his feet) could put up numbers. And over the next four decades, that’s exactly what happened.
You know the rest of the story. MJ lights up the NBA. The Air Jordan becomes Jordan Brand. And all along the way, dozens of colorways dot dozens of silhouettes, each retro’d then re-retro’d whenever the time was right.
The drumbeat of releases -- and His Airness showing them off -- laid the foundation of today’s collector culture. Before Silver Box Dunks, before 750 Boosts, there was J’s. Thanks to the passion they inspired, retro Jordans are still lighting up culture almost 40 years later.
For Jordan fans, this summer’s release calendar is one for the ages. Here are the releases to keep an eye on.
Air Jordan IV “Tech White” (7/3)
Jordan math is weird. #1 is 1. But 4? That’s either #2 or #3.
Made famous by Spike Lee’s seminal “Do the Right Thing,” the Air Jordan IV is widely regarded as a top 5 J. While the original “Fire Red” may be the grail, other IV colorways like “Pure Money” and “White Cement” have become fan favorites due to their sheer versatility. In early July, a brand new shade of AJ IV joins the lineup -- and it’s learned a thing or two from the past.
Officially called the “Tech White,” this clean, subtly-detailed Jordan IV combines cues from the “Fire Red” and “White Cement” into a blanched-white look that’s already earned the nickname “White Oreo”. A desirable shoe made easily wearable thanks to references fans will love? That’s a big release on lock.
The “Tech White” IV’s are due out July 3rd. UK resellers should keep in mind that Jordan IV’s are much more popular in America than almost anywhere else. Consider turning on International Shipping if you were lucky enough to score a second pair.
Travis Scott x fragment design x Air Jordan 1 Low (8/13)
Travis Scott has been on a tear with touchstone Jordan drops, going all the way back to 2018’s Oilers-inspired Jordan IV. His latest, a double tie-up with fragment design (co-collab?), sees the iconic Jack’d up reverse swoosh visit Hiroshi Fujiwara’s famous Royal Chicago colorway on an AJ1 Low.
It goes without saying: this release will be massive.
Cactus Jack Jordans are as hyped as they are limited, with resale prices sitting right around £1000 GBP (approximately $1400 USD) for both the Jordan IV and Jordan 1 High. The Travis Scott x fragment AJ1 Low’s are expected to release on August 13th. Mark your calendar. Set an alarm. Do everything you can to score SNKRS Exclusive Access.
And if you’re lucky enough to cop, congrats in advance.
Air Jordan 1 High “Pollen” (8/21)
The best Jordan 1’s keep it simple -- and that’s especially true for the new bloods.
Coming in towards the end of the summer, the AJ1 High “Pollen” is a Bumblebee-inspired retro model that feels as fresh as it does vintage. Why should the "Pollen" be on your radar? Simply put, every Jordan 1 that combines black or white on the mid-panels with monochrome around it has become a classic. “I think Jordan’s playing it smart and taking a page out of the Dunk book,” says Konrad Zawojski, a Brooklyn-based sneaker collector. “These are exactly like Goldenrods.” (a.k.a., the base of the legendary Wu-Tang High’s.)
The "Pollen" completes the primary color trifecta that the “Royal” and “Bred” started way back in 1985. Forget 2017’s “New Love” Jordan 1 Mid -- this black/yellow “High” is the real Air apparent. Early pairs have already showed up on eBay for $750 USD (approximately £540 GBP). Look for these to drop on August 21st.
For any secondary marketplace, the ability to build trust between buyers and sellers is of prime importance. To ensure this runs smoothly, eBay has launched its latest Authenticity Guarantee — an initiative independently authenticating the products sold through the peer-to-peer site, beginning with sneakers. As well as intricately certifying each product, eBay has introduced only 5% seller fees for sneakers sold through the program.
As part of the rollout of this new feature, eBay has partnered with renowned UK sneakerheads to get their insight into the platform’s latest initiative. You can watch the latest episode with Morgan Weekes and Sam Morgan here.
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