Air Jordans have been big this year despite the pandemic, thanks in part to Michael Jordan's ESPN docuseries.
Nike
The new self-lacing Air Jordans are finally on sale for $500.
Nike announced the Air Jordan Adapt 11 back in November as an update to the classic shoe on the 25th anniversary of the first Jordan sketches. They're the first in the Jordan brand to include Adapt self-lacing technology, which Nike has been testing since at least 2016, and Chief Design Officer of the Jordan Brand Martin Lotti calls "the best of Nike technology."
Nike
Nike
The app can change both the color and the flashing pattern of the lights. Nike says the app will have a "Jordan-flavored interface."
With these features, Lotti calls the Jordan 11 Adapt the "most personalized Jumpman shoes to date."
Nike
Nike's first self-lacing pair, the HyperAdapt 1.0, debuted in 2016 for $720. In 2019, the Nike Adapt BB was only $350, but it wasn't part of the popular Jordan brand.
Nike, like other sports and atheisure brands, has grown this year. Nike beat analyst expectations, reporting 9% growth for the second quarter, "driven by strong double-digit growth in NIKE Direct, as well as growth in Sportswear and the Jordan Brand."
Air Jordans have been popular for years, but they've seen an uptick on reseller sites this year in the "year of Jordan." ESPN's Michael Jordan docuseries "The Last Dance" is at least partially responsible for the increased demand, which has shown to be somewhat pandemic proof, as the shoes tend to grow more valuable as they age.
For now, it remains to be seen if the new design will show up on sneakerhead reseller sites at inflated prices.
