The Air Jordan 1 has been reworked countless times over the years, but the latest batch coming out of Jordan Design Studio goes well beyond a normal color or material swap. A few of these pairs almost look like completely different shoes.

Jordan Design Studio brought creatives together through workshops in several cities, giving them access to people who already know their way around the brand. Nina Chanel Abney, Chris Gibbs, Angelo Baque, and Hiroshi Fujiwara were among the collaborators involved as participants developed their ideas into actual prototypes.

Eight designers reached the final stage, all starting with the Air Jordan 1 “Love Letter.” New York’s Alaia Ryan went with layered Swooshes, different materials, and a custom NAYR Air patch. Chelsea B out of Chicago added crochet along with cut-and-sew work across the upper.

Los Angeles designer Cheikh Tall pulled from his Ghanaian background for a plaid covering inspired by market bags, handles included. Carlos “Calo” Eduardo Lopez Velasco took a much bulkier approach, stacking oversized leather, canvas, and suede panels across the AJ1.

Things get even stranger with the international entries. Yuji Wada from Tokyo went mostly black, using wrinkled textures and a dotted outline where the Swoosh would normally sit. Beijing’s Syn Zhuang softened the shape of the shoe and built the upper so it can fold down and change the look.

Jisoon Kim of Seoul turned the Jordan 1 into a tall boot-style design with repeated AJ1 panels running up the build. Shanghai designer GG Wu went another route with distressed finishes and removable pieces that let the shoe switch between Mid and Low setups.

All eight finalists are headed to Shanghai for The One Global Finals on August 29, 2026. Jordan Brand will choose one global winner, with the selected Air Jordan 1 design expected to be produced and potentially released to the public.

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