First spotted on the sidelines of a Raptors game in 2017, the OVO x Air Jordan 11 “Grey Snakeskin” quickly became a grail among collectors. The Friends & Family sample was part of Drake’s early OVO–Jordan Brand era, rumored to exist in only a handful of pairs.
The shoe features a clean white mesh upper with contrasting oversized grey snakeskin overlays, and replaces the patent leather with a textured leatherette. Black Jumpman logos, a translucent outsole and the embroidered “45” pay homage to MJ’s 1995 return—little details that give this simple design instant icon status.
Despite the later resurface of a “Pink Snakeskin” iteration on PJ Tucker in 2020, the Grey version is forever exclusive to OVO. That mix of exclusivity, history, and subtle flash? That’s exactly what keeps sneakerheads talking.
The Air Jordan 11 was designed by Tinker Hatfield in 1995 to assist Michael Jordan with his quick on-court transitions and to prevent rolled ankles. Hatfield also included patent leather on the upper of the sneaker to give it a sleek look that Jordan could wear with a suit.
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Photos: Sotheby’s
