Tinker Hatfield Reveals Design Story Behind Air Jordan 11 Low IE

The Air Jordan 11 Low IE arrived in 1996 not looking much like its big patent leathered XI mid sibling. Tinker Hatfield made sure it it didn’t.

Hatfield, Nike’s Vice President of Creative Concepts, provided insight into the design elements of the 11 Low IE to Nike.com on the eve of the shoe’s “Militia Green” release on September 19th.

In the piece, Hatfield explains that the 11 Low IE had to be a fresh take on the 11 design language, as well as be summer-ready.

“I felt like [patent leather] was contrary to the summer feel,” Hatfield said. “The shoe didn’t need to feel so stiff and heavy. For the summer, I wanted something that was lighter and easier to wear.”

The new low top not only pushed the 11’s design into new areas, it helped spur Hatfield’s brainstorming process for the next Jordan signature shoe – Air Jordan XII.

“I changed the pattern to put breathability in the right spots. Then, when you look at the different compositions, you want to fill in the gaps with something that could be decorative, like elephant print. I thought about trying textures and stitching. The mesh said something about summer, and the stitching we did really artfully. Doing that for the initial Air Jordan XI Low actually helped me think about how I was going to design the Air Jordan XII.”

Find official images of tomorrow’s Air Jordan 11 Low IE “Militia Green” below, and check out the full Nike.com piece here.

Air Jordan 11 Low IE “Croc”
Color: Black/Militia Green-Gym Yellow
Style Code: 306008-013
Release Date: September 19, 2015
Price: $170