The Best Air Jordan Collabs Ever

The purpose of the sneaker collab is to create hype. It’s a mutually beneficial partnership on both sides: each get to tap into the other’s fanbase with the hope that they will come back in the future. Whether it’s a burgeoning sneaker boutique or an artist that’s making waves, linking up with Jordan Brand raises their profile to heights that would be difficult to achieve on their own. As for the Jumpman, their profile isn’t so much raised as it is viewed differently because it shows their willingness to trust others to steward their brand to avenues that maybe the designers in Beaverton would not have the foresight to travel to.

For 20 years, Jordan Brand has turned the sneaker collab into an integral part of its business. Even though they might be limited in actual production numbers, the attention they receive from working with superstars in music or rising names in the art and retail worlds is something that can’t be replicated with the fourth retro of an OG Air Jordan 11 colorway. The fusions that have been birthed from these collabs are now classics that some might say match or surpass the legacy of some OGs. Some of these collabs fall into the rarest Air Jordans of all time.

With the return of the Undefeated x Air Jordan 4 this weekend, let’s highlight the best and brightest of Jordan collabs each year since the first team-up took place in 2005 with Undefeated.

Best Jordan Collabs Of All Time

2005: Undefeated 4 x Air Jordan 4

• Honorable Mention: Eminem x Air Jordan 4 Encore

Jordan Brand could have paused all collaborations past Year 1 and people would still look back on it fondly because of the two sneakers that emerged from the experiment. Despite Marshall Mathers’ connection to Jordan Brand, the nod has to go to the collab that started it all. As the shoes that Michael Jordan wore during his Chicago Bulls days started to become more and more accepted for off-court use, that military green, orange, and black unlocked a lot of people’s imaginations as to what could be possible for an Air Jordan 4 or any other entry in the historic line. For better or worse, sneaker culture does not get to enjoy the Travis Scotts and A Ma Maniéres and We The Best Jordans if Undefeated doesn’t create a certified classic from the jump.

2007: Doernbecher x Air Jordan 2 Sheridan Brenton

In 2003, Nike and the OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital teamed up to create exciting sneaker projects designed by patients to raise money for the facility. By 2007, the Freestyle Program would become accessible to sneakerheads as they dropped at retail, hoping that the wider release would generate more awareness and money coming in. Another first in 2007 was the inaugural Doernbecher Air Jordan, designed by Sheridan Brenton. Like the Undefeated 4s, the Air Jordan 2 would get a drastic shift in tone thanks to Brenton’s playful use of green paisley print, black, yellow, and dollar sign symbols. That combination might sound commonplace in 2025, but it was still very novel in the 2000s.

2008: Eminem x Air Jordan 2 The Way I Am

• Honorable Mentions: Levi’s x Air Jordan 1 23/501 Pack

Exclusive to members of the now-defunct Jordan Flight Club, Eminem’s second go-around allowed him the opportunity to show love to his favorite Air Jordan. With lyrics to the hit song “The Way I Am” from The Marshall Mathers LP written out on the mudguard and ankle panels, the Air Jordan 2 became personal to Eminem, but not in the Michael Jordan sense. Limited to only 313 pairs, it would go on to become one of the rarest Air Jordans that’s still being chased by collectors to this day.

2009: Doernbecher x Air Jordan 6 Jordan Dark

On the beautiful blue suede upper of Jordan Dark’s Air Jordan 6 design are the numbers “06” and “08.” Those digits represent the first and last days of his chemotherapy. The blue suede also serves as a base for the contrasting red and gold hits on the tongue and lining area, once again opening up the possibilities for what could be done with the Air Jordan 6, a silhouette that traditionally has been rather conservative with its use of color beyond the black, white, red, and sometimes sporty blue. Dark’s creation would go on to become one of the most popular and chased after Jordan entries in the Doernbecher line. The demand for them was so great it even got a retro in 2019.

2010: Vashtie x Air Jordan 2

• Honorable Mentions: Undertow x Air Jordan 2010, Doernbecher x Air Jordan 3 Cole Johanson

To hear Vashtie Kola tell the story, when she got the opportunity to work on an Air Jordan, her hope was that it would be the Air Jordan 3 because of her love for the silhouette. As fate would have it, she would be pitched the Air Jordan 2 because the 25th anniversary of the sneaker was coming up. Despite the “setback,” Vashtie dove into the project with an open mind and the result is an elegant look for the Air Jordan 2 that feels right in line with a lot of sneakerhead sensibilities in the modern era. While only available in kid’s sizes*, Vashtie’s work as the first woman to work on collab with Jordan Brand would pave the way for other creatives like Aleali May and Melody Ehsani to bring their stories and perspectives to what is often a male-dominated space.

*Note to Jordan Brand: take the hint and retro these in adult sizes already

2011: Dave White x Air Jordan 1 Wings For The Future

• Honorable Mention: Doernbecher x Air Jordan 4 Isaiah Scott

Once dubbed the UK’s Andy Warhol, artist Dave White finds inspiration in popular culture, including sneakers. To help kickstart Jordan Brands WINGS community outreach program, White was commissioned to design a special edition of the Air Jordan 1. Whether it was a shot of American patriotism or the need to create something bold and never before seen, White’s Air Jordan 1 caught the attention of a lot of people. With the toe box of the sneaker seemingly dipped into a vat of gold like that one scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, it was unlike anything done before with Jordans. And unlike the poor shoe in the movie, the Jordans would survive the dip and raise $23,000 for WINGS.

2012: SoleFly x Jordan Spizike

• Honorable Mentions: Undertow x Jordan Super.Fly, Doernbecher x Air Jordan 9 Oswaldo Jimenez

Miami-based SoleFly celebrated its second anniversary with a special Miami Hurricanes-inspired colorway of the Spike Lee’s Jordan signature shoe. A friends and family exclusive, SoleFly would build their name in the sneaker world through their connection with the Jordan Brand* and the various collaborations that sneakerheads would salivate over in the years to come. The SoleFly x Jordan Spizike also makes an appearance on our list of the best Jordan Spizikes of All Time.

*Owner Carlos Prieto’s brother-in-law is Michael Jordan, ever heard of him?

2013: Doernbecher x Air Jordan 5 Isaac Arzate

• Honorable Mention: Don C x Air Jordan 1 Black History Month

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a hooper would design one of the most desired Air Jordans from the Doernbecher Freestyle Collection. Isaac Azrate suffered a cardiac arrest on the basketball court in January 2012. While he was in recovery at Doernbecher Children's Hospital, he was putting together sketches for what would become his Air Jordan 5. Unfortunately, Isaac passed away from a second heart attack a few months later. As a tribute, Nike and Isaac’s family continued to work on the sneaker, which features a black patent leather upper adorned with black ink that reads out a poem that Isaac wrote a day before his passing.

2014: Fragment Design x Air Jordan 1

• Honorable Mentions: Slam Dunk x Air Jordan 6, Lance Mountain x Air Jordan 1 SB, SoleFly x Air Jordan 3 Lotto

Admittedly, when it comes to breaking new ground in Jordan retros, Fragment Design’s Air Jordan 1 falls short in comparison to its competition in 2016. It doesn’t have the comedic overtones of the Slam Dunk 6s or the creative fadeaway upper of Lance Mountain’s 1s. It’s basically the Black Toe Air Jordan 1 with the red replaced with royal blue and a debossed Fragment Design logo on the heel. In spite of those minor changes, the Fragment Air Jordan 1 never even had time to make it on the shelf to display at retailers before becoming a sneaker of the year contender, selling out instantly and commanding obscene numbers in the resale market. The Fragment Jordan 1 is so popular that it made it onto our Top 10 Air Jordan 1s of All Time list.

2015: Supreme x Air Jordan 5 Pack

Honorable Mentions: Just Don x Air Jordan 2, Eminem x Carhartt x Air Jordan 4, PSNY x Air Jordan 12

Supreme’s decades-long dominance and hold on hypebeasts the world over gave them free reign to do as they pleased when it came to their collabs. While others might bemoan their overly simplistic nature, it doesn’t really matter if kids are lining up at their retail locations for days just to grab the latest drop. Few examples proved this more than their three pack of Air Jordan 5s in white, black, and desert camo. So what was so Supreme about them? Nothing beyond the branding on the netting and the swap of the embroidered 23 to 94. But to the surprise of nobody, that was enough. At least it was enough back then. Supreme might be “dead” in 2025, but to underestimate them would be foolish.

2016: Laika x Air Jordan 15 Kubo and the Two Strings

• Honorable Mentions: OVO x Air Jordan 8 Kentucky, Trophy Room x Air Jordan XX3, SoleFly x Air Jordan 16 Art Basel

Let the record show that Tinker Hatfield, legendary sneaker designer and mind behind the greatest Air Jordans ever made, is on record saying that the Air Jordan 15 was his worst effort. However, in 2016 he had a chance at a do-over courtesy of the Laika Studios production “Kubo and the Two Strings.” Using the Air Jordan 15 for inspiration, Tinker wanted to tell the story of the dueling sides at the heart of the movie, hence the mismatched red and blue pair. But the feature that Tinker, well, tinkered with the most was the tongue, reshaping it into a zip-up collar. Purists at the time did not appreciate the change while others agreed with the reimagining, leaving the 15s just as divisive as they have ever been.

2017: Virgil Abloh x Air Jordan 1 The Ten

• Honorable Mentions: KAWS x Air Jordan 4, Atmos x Air Jordan 3, DJ Khaled x Air Jordan 3 Grateful

Not to be confused with the Off-White Jordan 1s that would drop in the following years, the late Virgil Abloh’s initial foray with Nike at the top level was “The Ten.” Bringing together ten of Nike’s most popular sneakers and remaking them to the exact specifications of Virgil’s taste and vibe was no easy task. At first glance, his interpretation of the Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” looked very familiar to a lot of people. It’s when it’s inspected a little closer they see the implementation of Virgil’s “3% rule,” which is the idea that even a mere 3% change to an existing design can dramatically alter it into something new. From the zip ties to the deconstructed wings to the text through the sneaker, it felt more than 3%, but it ultimately didn’t matter. What did matter was the result: it’s arguably the most influential Jordan collab since the Undefeated 4s.

2018: Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4

• Honorable Mentions: Off-White x Air Jordan 1 UNC, Union x Air Jordan 1, Levi’s x Air Jordan 4

While Travis Scott’s collaborative efforts with Nike and Jordan Brand began in 2017, it wasn’t until a year later that everything would come into focus. The Houston Oilers-inspired Air Jordan 4 was a statement of intent: La Flame was not going to be denied a spot in the sneaker world. It’s not as bold or daring to use powder blue on an Air Jordan 4 in 2018 in comparison to when Undefeated put olive green on an Air Jordan 4 in 2005, but don’t tell that to Scott’s very energetic and very dedicated fanbase. The Travis Scott AJ4 holds the 7th spot on the Best Air Jordan 4s of All Time. They really showed out for this sneaker, and it was a sign of things to come.

2019: Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1

• Honorable Mentions: Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6, Aleali May x Air Jordan 6, Trophy Room x Air Jordan 5

A common complaint by people who don’t think Travis Scott’s collaborations are that big of a deal is his use of the reverse swoosh. Granted, it’s not an original idea as numerous Nike silhouettes have used the gimmick in the past. But what they fail to mention is the hype that Travis brings to the table. Yes, anybody could have flipped the swoosh on an Air Jordan 1. But if Jordan Brand had released it as a general release Air Jordan 1 Reverse without Travis or proper marketing, it doesn’t move the needle. They bring in Travis and his Cactus Jack branding and his fans who buy anything and everything Travis and it becomes a phenomenon. It does beg the question though: does the reverse swoosh fall under the Virgil Abloh “3% rule?”

2020: Dior x Air Jordan 1

• Honorable Mentions: Union x Air Jordan 4, Off-White x Air Jordan 4, Off-White x Air Jordan 5

The Dior collaboration on the Air Jordan 1 could be interpreted one of two ways: it’s the zenith of society’s awareness of Jordan retros and 1s in particular, or its beginning of the downfall. Released as the world was adjusting to a life inside due to the COVID-19 pandemic while at the same time experiencing a massive wave of Michael Jordan nostalgia because of The Last Dance, people had plenty of time and apparently disposable income to drive the resale value of these $2000 sneakers to the five-figure mark. Despite having a healthy 8500 pairs available, it was headline-worthy news on social media whenever anybody actually wore their pair. It’s debatable whether high-quality Italian-constructed leather and a monogrammed Swoosh is really worth the price of admission, but what can’t be denied is the moment it created.

2021: Off-White x Air Jordan 2

• Honorable Mentions: A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 3, Fragment x Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1, Doernbecher x Air Jordan 1 What The Doernbecher

When images started to leak of Off-White’s Air Jordan 2 project, people were not enthused by the prospect. The Air Jordan 2 might be Michael Jordan’s second signature shoe, but it doesn’t rate high on the power rankings in comparison to other Jordans from those early years. So to hear that Virgil was going to work on the 2s instead of the 3s or the 6s was a disappointment to many. Well, it was a disappointment until Virgil took to social media to reveal inspirations behind the sneaker. From the uniquely cracked midsoles to the printed Michael Jordan signatures, it was a faithful recreation of a pair that MJ actually wore that’s now residing in Nike’s DNA Archives. The early November 2021 release would end up becoming bittersweet as Abloh would pass later that month at the too-young age of 41.

2022: A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 4

• Honorable Mentions: Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low Reverse Mocha, Union x Air Jordan 2, Zion Williamson x Air Jordan 1 Low Voodoo

A common refrain among sneaker consumers as collaborations have become commonplace is that the storytelling aspect is gone. Apparently James Whitner and AMM did not get the memo because their Jordan Brand collabs are full of rich details that tie into a growing tapestry of stories and expressions that highlight the experience of Black families, in particular Black women. A premium effort through and through, the rich violet ore suede upper exudes a quiet elegance that’s a welcome counterbalance from the bright and loud efforts of other collabs. On backtabs of the sneakers are the messages “it’s not about the shoes,” a play from an iconic Nike ad campaign, and “it’s about where you’re going.” In the preceding years, it turns out James and AMM are not going anywhere, they’re going to continue to grow alongside Jordan Brand.

2023: Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 Pine Green

• Honorable Mentions: J. Balvin x Air Jordan 3 “Medellin Sunset,” Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low Golf, Across The Spider-Verse x Air Jordan 1 “Next Chapter”

Calling a dual-branded project with Nike SB a collab sounds funny at first, like Coke and Sprite teaming up on a beverage, but there’s more to the story. For decades, skateboarding and Air Jordan 1s have been linked together. There have been a handful of 1s with SB branding and SB sensibilities, but those always made sense. At first blush, branching out to a silhouette like the Air Jordan 4 doesn’t immediately make sense. It’s not until the skateboarding-specific updates were revealed that it started to click for a lot of fans. Even the colorway became a throwback of sorts as they had a lot of OG vibes despite the use of green, a color that Michael Jordan is famously not a fan of.\

2024: Nina Chanel Abney x Air Jordan 3

• Honorable Mentions: Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 RM, J. Balvin x Air Jordan 3 Rio, A Ma Maniére x Air Jordan 3

Two years after her debut collab with Jordan Brand that broke down the Air Jordan 2 Low to the barest of bones, designer Nina Chanel Abney returned to turn even more heads with her Air Jordan 3. Using various shades of green, the combination canvas and suede upper does break the brain a little when placed side by side with virtually every other Air Jordan 3 that’s ever been made. The uncommon route continues with the rope laces, a chenille-adorned Nike Air on the back tabs that also includes a miniscule orange Jumpman tag. About the only thing familiar from this effort is the use of Sail tooling to give the green a contrasting hit. The result is an Air Jordan 3 unlike any other and the hope that Nina will return with another audacious take on a classic model in the coming years.

2025 (so far): Undefeated 4 x Air Jordan 4

• Honorable Mentions: Nigel Sylvester x Air Jordan 4 Brick By Brick, Union x Air Jordan 1 Chicago Shadow, Swarovski x Air Jordan 1 Low Shadow

With the year a little over halfway done, there are plenty of contenders for the title of best Jordan collaboration already. Nigel Sylvester’s Jordan 4 featured plenty of old school activations that got people coming out for the sneaker in droves, Union went back to the concept that elevated them to new heights, and Swarovski? Well, they slapped a bunch of crystals on a pair of Js and called it a day. As enticing as it would be to call them the best of the year so far, the anticipation for the return of the sneaker that started it all is undeniable. There are a handful of changes that distinguish them from the OG, but because this will be more widely available and be on the feet of more sneakerheads, don’t be surprised if in a few years this is recognized by the younger generation as the canonical Undefeated 4s.

Juan Martinez

From video game journalism to veteran of the sneaker blog era to podcasting about well, everything, Juan is smiling through it all and can't believe this is his life. After recently getting into Formula 1, he now has hot takes about who the greatest driver of all time is. Email: juan@soleretriever.com