Jordan Brand Goes Behind The Design Of Air Jordan 9’s Global Outsole

By the time Michael Jordan started his 1992-93 three-peat season, he’d become a global superstar. Thanks to two straight NBA titles and a gold medal win in Barcelona, the world not only recognized the unrivaled talent of the 29-year-old Chicago Bulls star, they also wanted in on the Air Jordan sneaker phenomenon. Designer Tinker Hatfield had built the Air Jordan line on a firm connection to Jordan’s inspiration as well as a pulse for the style of the moment.

In the case of Air Jordan 9 and its intricate internationally flavored outsole, Hatfield leaned on the storytelling work of Mark Smith.

“He said, ‘let’s do an outsole and tell a story…this international story’. And that was a good place to start,” Smith said via Nike SNKRS.

Both the right and left outsole of the shoe differed from the other, displaying inspiration adjectives in six languages that describe Michael Jordan’s life on and off the court.

Find detailed images below of the Air Jordan 9 outsole design. Air Jordan 9 “Space Jam” releases on December 3rd.