Since the inception of basketball sneakers, technology has been the performance, aesthetic, and marketing hero of designs. From visible Nike Air on the Air Jordan 3 to FastFit lacing on the Air Jordan 33, a silhouette’s identity is typically rooted in its most important technical advantage. Jordan Brand abandoned that decades-old design philosophy for the Air Jordan 39. Inspired by the GOAT’s lethal cross-step, the AJ39’s components seamlessly blend into each other, forming a single shape instead of a distinct collection of parts.
The Air Jordan 39 debuts a new full-length ZoomX foam and full-length Air Zoom midsole for ultimate cushioning. The midsole flows into an embroidered textile upper with a computational design inspired by testing in the Nike Sport Research Lab (NSRL). Jordan Brand designers studied the mechanics of a cross-step to create a unique pattern shaped by a shoe’s flex zones as it bends and changes directions. Natural leather, a mainstay in early Air Jordan models, returns via overlays on the paneling for containment. For the outsole, the tried and true herringbone traction is upgraded using the same NSRL tests to reinforce the most affected areas when changing directions.
“Our values with the Air Jordan XXXIX came down to things like shape, proportion and stance,” says Jordan Brand Senior Design Director Joël Greenspan. “We didn’t want to build a spaceship that was overtly aesthetic. In other words, we didn’t want to make the technology the visual focus of the design. Still, when athletes put on the shoe, we want them to instantly know they’re getting the most premium performance system possible.”
The Air Jordan XXXIX releases July 23 on jordan.com and at select retailers.
