When it comes to sneakers, there are not many that stand the test of time like the iconic Air Jordan 1 “BRED.” The Chicago inspired version of the 1, in Black and Varsity Red, is commonly referred to as the "Banned" Air Jordan sneaker. Why does this Air Jordan 1 BRED, or Banned, stand out when compared with so many other iconic Air Jordan models?
The Air Jordan 1 Banned is returning to select retailers, like Shoe Palace, just in time for All Star Week-end 2025.
BANNED
By now everyone knows the infamous tale of how this pair of Jordan 1 shoes revolutionized and trans-formed the league. But, just in case you don’t, I will give you a quick rundown. David Stern, the NBA Commissioner at the time, banned the Air Jordan 1 BRED because it violated the league's strict uniform code. Nike capitalized on the opportunity and paid for Michael Jordan’s fine ($5,000 per game) to play in the most rebellious shoes the league had ever seen. The more the NBA fought, the bigger the hype grav-itated towards the sneakers, and as they say, the rest is history.
A Sneaker For The Rebel
The Banned colorway is probably the most recognizable colorway and model of the Jordan line. Not only did the shoe itself cause controversy, but also the marketing behind it. The commercial for the Air Jor-dan Banned is very comparable to Apple’s Super Bowl commercial that premiered in 1984 where they took aim at tech giant IBM. With IBM being the villain in the computer industry, Steve Job’s Apple con-structed a commercial campaign that played Apple as the heroic company that’s here to break the norm. Nike followed similar paths with their Banned Commercial painting the NBA as a malicious villain who didn’t want you to wear the Banned sneakers. Even stating in the commercial, “The NBA threw them out the game; fortunately, the NBA can’t stop you from wearing them.”
From that point, the Jordan Banned became the sneaker for the rebels, and people wore them proudly knowing that “they” didn’t want you to have them.
Your Favorite Celebrities Love Them!
Celebs like Kylie Jenner, Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, DJ Khaled and Kanye West have all been seen rocking the infamous Banned 1. It is an undeniable shoe that every sneaker celebrity must have in their collection if they want to take their collection seriously. Over the years, it seems the Jordan 1 has be-come unrelated to basketball and more synonymous with lifestyle thanks to fashion forward celebrities who can be seen stepping out in the sneaker. As the years went on, we started seeing the Jordan 1 sneaker at fashion shows, red carpet premiers, and on the big screen. All in all, I think we can contribute a lot of the Jordan 1’s fashion impact to celebrities who have helped to keep the shoe connected to the culture, especially to a generation who has never seen Michael Jordan play basketball.
The Air Jordan 1 Banned Today
The Air Jordan 1 is constantly getting rereleased every year. But the Banned 1 is special. Its return in 2025 is the first time it has returned in years. The hype is incredible.
You can make a strong argument that the Air Jordan 1 Banned is the most important Jordan sneaker of all time. It started the cultural relevancy of Air Jordan sneakers and it’s a trend that is still firing on all cylinders today.
- Adam C. Better
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