A 10-year break between a retro feels like a long time.
It certainly is for a sneaker as iconic as the Air Jordan 8 Aqua. Tinker Hatfield’s design, featuring a bold strapped-up design and a chenille tongue graphic, proved the Air Jordan 8 to be a distinctly ’90s sneaker. With it’s colorful original colorways, and it’s high-top cut, the sneaker feels synonymous with the style of the 1990s. And the Air Jordan 8 helped establish that look we look back so fondly on now.
Ahead of the return of the Aqua 8 this weekend, we are taking a look back at every release of this iconic sneaker- and how they each helped define an era of the Air Jordan Brand.
The 1993 Aqua 8 with original box via Complex
The original Aqua 8 was part of the three original colorways of the Air Jordan 8 that released in 1993. Michel J0rdan’s eight signature sneaker, the sixth designed by Hatfield at the time, delivered perhaps the sneaker that best captured the 90’s era of fashion.
The Aqua 8, which received it’s nickname because of the shade of blue the sneaker features, is bold. As if the concord purple wasn’t enough to standout, the purple on the midsole featured a glittery effect that was complimented by the hits of blue. The fuzzy chenille tongue hit stands out on it’s own, too and is reminiscent of varsity jackets that only further remind us of a nostalgic era in fashion. The Aqua 8 would famously be worn on the court by Jordan once- in the 1993 NBA All Star Game. Jordan’s last All Star game before his first retirement from the NBA.
The 2007 retro of the Aqua 8 via Flight Club
The early 2000s were all about Jordan Brand trickling the vault open for re-releases. Now known as retros, there was no clear indication as to when a certain colorway would make a return. The “Bugs Bunny” Air Jordan 8 returned in 2003, but the Playoff 8 and Aqua 8 would not be re-introduced for another four years- finally releasing in 2007.
The 2007 Air Jordan 8 Aqua looked different than the 93′ pair, though. The black and grey nubuck upper of the original was replaced with an all black nubuck. Though it allowed for the colors on the midsole to pop more, the ever-reasonable sneaker purist were not happy with the change to the upper. The changes did not stop there, though, as the speckled purple midsole was drastically muted- and almost non-existent. The sneaker’s sockliners, tongue tag, and outsole were changed, as well.
It was not all bad, though. As the 2007 retro arrived as streetwear continued to rise in mainstream fashion. The sneaker was a a grail of the early internet days as it dressed the likes of Kanye West and was prominently featured among Karmaloops t-shirt design lineups.
The 2015 Aqua 8 retro via Flight Club
In 2014, it was revealed that Jordan Brand would be taking a more detailed approach for their retro sneakers beginning in the Spring of 2015.
Dubbed the Remastered Line, the project was Jordan Brand’s response to the consumer’s desire for retros that featured a closer look and feel to their original counterparts. This new project saw the release of more niche Air Jordan colorways, like the Columbia 4 and the French Blue 7, and it eventually brought us the return of the Aqua 8.
The 2015 Aqua 8 was, as promised, a return to the form. Just like the 1993 pair, 2015’s return featured the glittery purple midsole. Plus, the grey nubuck that made up part of the upper of the 93′ original returned to break up the all-black- upper of the 2007 retro. Smaller details, like the patterned sock liner, and the gold piping on the tongue tag also returned.
The 2015 retro saw the Aqua 8 back in all of it’s glory. The sneaker arrived at an important time for Jordan Brand- delivering a fan favorite the way fans had been asking for.
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It is hard to believe it has been a decade since the Air Jordan 8 Aqua last released. A sneaker that has helped define several eras of Jordan Brand’s 40 years. As important as said sneaker is, though, it was only a matter of time until it made a return.
That time, is now. The Air Jordan 8 Aqua, again releasing true to the 1993 original, returns this week. Wether it is remembered for being on the Jordan 8 retro card, or for Michael Jordan’s 1993 ASG performance, the Aqua 8 has long engrained it’s impact in fashion and in the world of sneakers.
The Air Jordan 8 Aqua returns this Saturday, July 19th at 10 am EST via SNKRS.
Photos of the 2025 pair courtesy of Nike
