Air Jordan 2

After the shockwave of the Air Jordan 1, Nike aimed even higher. In 1986 Peter Moore and Bruce Kilgore, the designer behind the Air Force 1, set out to create a basketball shoe conceived as a luxury object. The Air Jordan 2 was made in Italy and positioned at the very top end of the market for its time. Michael Jordan wore it through the 1986-87 season, when he claimed his first NBA scoring title and won the 1987 Slam Dunk Contest. It is often overshadowed by its neighbours, yet it is essential to the Jordan story.

The Air Jordan 2 marked a clean break: it was the first Nike shoe to drop the Swoosh entirely, leaving the Wings logo and Air Jordan branding to sign the design. Its clean premium leather upper is paired with faux lizard panels on the sides, an exotic touch that foreshadowed the daring of later Jordans. The high-top silhouette, with its padded collar, puts elegance ahead of visible tech, with Air cushioning tucked away inside the sole. It is an almost couture approach that makes the AJ2 the most refined of the early Jordans.

In 1986 the Air Jordan 2 came in just two original colourways, in both high and low versions: white and red, and white, red and black. It remains the only early Jordan without a black-based OG colourway. It was among the very first models to be retroed, back in 1994, and has returned regularly ever since. More recently it has inspired acclaimed collaborations: Just Don with luxurious materials, Off-White with a deconstructed low-top and Union with vintage-inspired tones. These editions have given the silhouette a genuine second wind with a new generation of collectors.

With its clean lines and premium leather, the Air Jordan 2 wears like a character piece rather than a performance shoe. A white and red pair true to the original works perfectly with straight raw denim, an open-collar shirt or a leather jacket for a polished retro look. Low versions pair nicely with chinos or pleated trousers for a dressier feel. When choosing, think about what draws you in: if you love heritage, go for a retro faithful to the 1986 colourways; if you want a statement, look to a collaboration with bolder materials.

Since 2015 NOIRFONCE has been an official Nike and Jordan retailer, so every pair on noirfonce.eu is 100% authentic and sourced through the brand's official network. This page tells the story of the Air Jordan 2; to find your next pair, explore our full Jordan collection, from the Air Jordan 1 to the Air Jordan 14. Every order ships quickly across Europe with tracking, you have 14 days to make a return, and checkout is fully secure, with the option to spread the cost over instalments depending on the payment methods offered.