Air Dior Jordan 1s: How To Spot The Real Deal
Years ago, before the Air Dior Jordan 1s hit every sneakerhead’s feed, there were rumors. In 2017, Kris Van Assche, then Dior Men’s creative director, posted an image of the Dior logo in the Nike font sitting atop a Swoosh. The caption? “JUST DO DIOR.” Van Assche quickly deleted the photo, but it was too late: whispers on the internet about a potential collaboration abounded, and continued.
When Kim Jones succeeded Van Assche in March 2018, he turned to the archives of the heritage brand, reinvigorating Dior Men classics and embracing art, streetwear, and haute couture. Jones had previously teamed up with artists like Hajime Sorayama and Raymond Pettibon, as well as cultural icons like Sean Stüssy and KAWS. Seasons came and went, but no Air Dior Jordan. Then, at the end of 2019, the long-standing dreams of sneakerheads everywhere were finally realized. Rapper Travis Scott teased a sneak peek of the shoes on Instagram, the Dior Oblique print cascading down an oversized Swoosh. The Air Dior Jordan 1s made their official debut on Dior Men’s Miami Pre-Fall 2020 runway, honoring the Jordan 1’s 35th anniversary in tandem. And the rest, as they say, is history.
“In the 3 years since its release, the Dior x Jordan 1 High has managed to maintain an average resale value of $7,500-$8,000 in pristine condition, which is about four times its MSRP of $2,000,” notes Amir Azarcon, Valuation Manager, Sneakers & Streetwear. “In fact, there are only 8500 pairs in existence – and this number pays homage to the year the original Jordan 1 was released in 1985. The colorway is Creative Director Kim Jones’ way of tying Dior’s heritage into the sneaker, the gray featured on the sneaker is actually known as Dior Gray, one of Christian Dior’s favorite colors and a signature color of the luxury house. While Jordan 1s are nowhere near as popular as they were 3-5 years ago, original pairs from 1985 continue to shatter records on the resale market with a game worn pair selling for $560,000 in 2020 and a brand new pair of the ‘Chicago’ colorway selling for $30,000 last year – a testament to the staying power and timeless design of this iconic shoe.”
As you might expect given this level of exclusivity, there are many Air Dior Jordan imitators. In fact, counterfeit versions began to emerge in the secondary market even before the shoe was officially available. “Replica pairs of the Dior x Jordan 1 High have only gotten better in recent years, almost to the point where you can no longer tell in passing whether a pair is authentic or not without getting an up close look at the construction and detailing on the interior of the shoe,” Azarcon says. Read on for tips from Azarcon and fellow Valuation Manager Carlos Santos on spotting the real deal.
Real Air Dior Jordan 1s: The Silhouette
When authenticating an Air Dior Jordan 1, make sure to inspect the overall silhouette of the shoe. “The silhouette is obviously the first thing anyone notices about any sneaker, and the Air Dior Jordan is no different,” says Santos. “The main inspirations for the Air Dior Jordan 1 are the original 1985 Bred Jordan 1 and 1985 Neutral Gray Jordan sneakers. Sneaker fanatics can argue all day about which Jordan 1 silhouette ‘era’ is best, but most will tell you that the original is unparalleled.”
Though the Air Dior Jordan high silhouette is based on the 1985 Jordan 1, there are slight differences between the two styles. “The collar around the ankle on an Air Dior Jordan 1 high should be slightly higher than the collar on Jordan 1s currently available on the market,” notes Santos. “Air Dior Jordans should also feature a slightly higher and rounder toe-box than the originals.”
Real Air Dior Jordan 1s: The Swoosh & Wings
That coveted Nike Swoosh — one of the most identifiable branding aspects of a Jordan sneaker — can also tell you a lot about the Air Dior Jordan’s authenticity. “The Swoosh is a crucial component to consider when authenticating a pair of these,” says Santos. “The Air Dior Jordan’s Swoosh is larger than a typical Jordan’s. It also provides more real estate for the Oblique print. As time has gone on since the release, more and more faux pairs have started to hit the market, with many differences amongst them. Some counterfeits create a Swoosh with an Oblique print that is too large or too small, while others are just sloppy in terms of detail.” The materials and craftsmanship are on full display at the shoe’s exterior. “Big callouts when determining real from faux are the high quality of the Italian leather and the precision of the stitching,” Santos adds. “Poor-quality leather and inconsistent stitching should be instant red flags.”
Pay close attention to the wings logo at the collar as well. “The wings logo should say ‘Air Dior,’ as opposed to the normal ‘Air Jordan,’” notes Santos. “On a normal pair of Jordan 1s, the leg of the Jordan’s ‘R’ and the bottom of the ‘D’ should touch slightly. Since ‘Jordan’ isn’t present on the Air Dior shoes, the best thing to look at is the quality of the embossing and the spacing between the basketball and wing lines. There should be uniform spacing between them; oftentimes faux pairs will have lines that are too close together.” Azarcon adds: “The wings stamp on the ankle collar of replica pairs will be a bit too glossy compared to authentic pairs which feature more of a matte finish.”
Real Air Dior Jordan 1s: The Soles
The Air Dior Jordans are outfitted with translucent outsoles. Beneath them, the Air Dior and Dior logos should be visible. “When it comes to the outsoles of the Air Dior Jordans, the biggest tell is the hue of the blue,” says Santos. “The color should be a little muted. It should not be a harsh, incredibly saturated blue. The outsole shouldn’t be too clear either. The translucence will fade and become slightly yellow over time, so the soles’ hue should not be the only area you check for authenticity.”
Inside the Air Dior Jordans should be a white removable insole, debossed with the Dior Oblique print (above, right). “Make sure the insoles are not flimsy,” notes Santos. “Similar to any other Dior product, craftsmanship and quality are the top priority. You should be able to see this on the detailing of the insole.” Below the removable insole, there should also be a debossed leather sole with a “strobe” Dior Oblique print (above, left).
Real Air Dior Jordan 1s: The Tongue
The Air Dior Jordans’ tongue should be a jacquard material, with a subtle Dior Oblique pattern just visible on the exterior. “The Oblique tongue is arguably my favorite detail on the sneaker,” says Santos. “It’s also another key area to inspect when authenticating. The print should not be too large, and the quality of the stitching should be top of the line. The details on the tongue should be impeccable.” There should also be a branded Dior Air tag at the top of the tongue, wrapping around from one side to the other. “The embroidery on the tag should be clean, and the ‘R’ in Dior should connect to the Swoosh just above the ‘A’ in AIR,” explains Santos. “On authentic pairs, the letters here should be easily legible.”
Real Air Dior Jordan 1s: The Edition Stamp
At the interior of the Air Dior Jordan’s collar should be a stamped number indicating the edition number out of 8,500. “The number edition stamp should be clean, and the numbers should not be too spaced out,” says Santos. “Some counterfeiters often space the numbers very far apart, with messy silver foil stamping that seems very poorly applied. The foil stamping on authentic pairs should be crisp.” Surprisingly, uneven height between numbers on the edition stamp can actually be a good sign. “The high quality replica stamps are almost too perfect and straight all the way across,” says Azarcon.
“Pro tip: If you ever see a pair with a Miami stamp where the numbers should be you are most likely looking at a replica pair. These pairs were only shown at the Dior Men’s Miami fashion show where the sneakers debuted and were never produced for sale to the general public.”
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