“Concord” time has come, but how’d we get here? The shoe is famous as any but its story is stranger than most. From an unexpected premier all the way up to today, we look back at the history of the Air Jordan 11 “Concord” and the major steps it took to get to today.
MAY 7TH, 1995: THE DEBUT
Before the blogs and before the forums, the first place to catch new kicks was on court. In Game 1 of theEastern Conference Finals, the player formally known as #23 shocked the world and stunned Nike execs when he stepped on the court in pair of never before seen sneakers. The NBA would ban the shoes for not matching dress code and the world would have to wait half a year for a name and release.
NOVEMBER 1995: THE RELEASE
The roller coaster ride that was MJ’s retirement, the possible end of the Air Jordan line, and his comeback collided with the hysteria over the unreleased “patent leather” Jordans. In November 1995, the Air Jordan 11 launched in the “Concord” colorway, redefining the buzz around a sneaker release and selling out nationwide.The Bulls would go 72-10, Mike would reclaim his throne in hoops and footwear, and the rest as they say is history.
OCTOBER 25TH, 2000: THE RETRO
It didn’t take but five years for the “Concords” to comeback. Despite previous retro models collecting dust and hitting sales racks, the Air Jordan 11 re-release was an instant hit.
JANUARY 28TH, 2006: THE DMPS
Not quite a “Concord”, but very close. The Defining Moments Package marked the debut of 2-in-1 Jordan releases and an update to makeup deemed most untouchable. The shoes were a sellout, but even those that got ‘em were still missing the purple pods and black Jumpman.
JANUARY 27TH, 2011: “CONCORD” CONFIRMATION
Tons of talk, round-the-way rumors, and wishful thinking were given new life when a leaked line sheet confirmed the return of the “Concords”. Just a month after sneaker heads waited in line for the “Cool Greys” the saving started for the next Air Jordan 11 release.
DECEMBER 23RD, 2011: THE RETURN
It doesn’t matter if you were there in ’95, if you missed out on the ’00 retros, or your DMPs are still dead stock: every sneaker head has their mind on the “Concords”. Tonight at midnight and tomorrow morning, most will try, many will cop, and few will pass. Michael Jordan has once again dominated the fourth quarter as the “Concords” complete their first three-peat.
