Sneaker history changed forever in 1985, as we all know.
After Nike’s well-documented courting of Michael Jordan ended with the hot rookie inking a deal with the Swoosh, the brand got to work on what would be his first signature sneaker. While Jordan took to the court in the Air Ship to start his professional career, Peter Moore would put the finishing touches on the Air Jordan 1.
Of course, the shoe would famously cause controversy with the NBA, giving it a launching pad for one of the most iconic marketing campaigns ever with the “Banned” campaign. The debut colorways included pairs that matched Jordan’s Chicago Bulls uniforms, a highly sought-after Metallic pack, neutral pairs like the Shadows, the Neutral Grey, and the Black/White colorways, a colorway that was a tribute to the University of North Carolina, and the ever-iconic Air Jordan 1 Royal.
via Christie’s Auction Calendar
Sixteen separate colorways of the Air Jordan 1 High were released in 1985. Because of the NBA’s rules, Jordan only wore three on the court: the Chicago, the Bred, and the Black Toe colorway. Over 80% of the debut colorways never graced an NBA court that season. That said, the shoes went on to build their own legacy away from the court. Some became the go-to shoe for skaters, others became a versatile everyday shoe, and others became pop culture phenomena. That especially is the case for the Air Jordan 1 Royal.
The Banned campaign did a lot of good for the hype and interest in the Air Jordan 1. Nike was, at the time, already becoming a massive voice in marketing their products in a way that was cool and different. And, boy, was Michael Jordan wearing the Royals with a matching outfit on a tarmac whilst a private jet sat behind him, cool. More than that, though, the Air Jordan 1 became a shoe synonymous with cool in the years that followed. And once the 2010s rolled around, the shoe cemented itself as a symbol.
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In the 2010s, the shoe went beyond a cool sneaker; it became a status symbol. Kanye West wore the Royas with leather pants and flannels. Jay-Z wore them casually courtside, and the sneaker often appeared at award shows as well. Frank Ocean marked his arrival into the mainstream music scene wearing the shoe during his brilliant SNL performances. Meanwhile, Travis Scott built his reputation as the future of trap music with the Royal 1 on his feet.
Of course, the Royal had already been worn by people who optimized cool; I’m looking at you, Slash, but doing so again decades after the shoe originally launched was impressive. The Royal became a grail for fans who weren’t even around when the 1985 pair originally launched, thanks to big names of the 2010s living in the shoe. Fans would spend a pretty penny just to emulate their favorite rapper’s favorite shoe. In the process, the legacy of one of the most iconic Air Jordans ever was extended and brought into a new generation of impressionable sneakerheads.
A lot has changed since those days of the 2010s: Kanye now goes by Ye, Frank Ocean has opted for a life away from the spotlight, all the while Jason Sudeikis has become a household name thanks to his hit sitcom Ted Lasso. The Air Jordan 1 Royal hasn’t changed, though. The sneaker’s legacy is intact as one of the most recognizable Air Jordan sneakers ever.
And while it is easy to say the shoe’s popularity is thanks to a lightning-in-a-bottle marketing campaign in the 1980s, or a celebrity status symbol in the 2010s, the truth is it’s likely somewhere in the thirty years in between. It is thanks to a community of sneakerheads who coveted the shoe. Fans who waited with bated breath for the Royal to make another comeback. The fans who bought Top-3 Air Jordan 1s, Satin Royals, or, more recently, Union x Fragments Sport Royal bought those shoes not only because they aesthetically looked good, but because they were important parts to the Air Jordan 1 Legacy.
A legacy built by iconic colorways like the Air Jordan 1 Royal. Even though the shoe never graced an NBA court, it somehow can hold the same weight as a Chicago or a Banned 1, which not only speaks to impact in popular culture, but also to the way in which sneaker fans have propped up the sneaker to be one of the holy grails in the space.
The Air Jordan 1 Royal returns this Saturday, October 10th, via Nike and participating Air Jordan retailers like JD Sports.
Glamor shots and official images of the 2026 pair via Nike
