A Close Look at the Jordan 1 Mid Cactus Flower
The Air Jordan 1 is the sneaker that started it all, marking the beginning of the most iconic lineage of sneakers in history. In many ways, it's responsible for launching modern-day sneaker culture as a whole—and it almost didn't happen.
History of Air Jordan 1
As the story goes, the year was 1984, and Chicago Bulls' rookie Michael Jordan was a hot commodity for endorsement deals, with sneakers naturally being paramount.
Jordan had just come off a stellar college basketball season at the University of North Carolina. He wore Converse and was a personal fan of Adidas, so he took meetings with both companies, but they never reached a deal. It seems strange today, but at the time, Michael Jordan hated Nike—so much so that he refused to take a meeting with them.
He was persuaded by his mother, Deloris Jordan, to visit the Nike campus in Oregon and listen to their pitch. His plan was to go through the motions to appease his parents and agent but he ultimately left with a contract unlike any other.
Rather than walking in the shadows of established athletes like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird (which may have been the case had he signed elsewhere), Michael Jordan shone in the Nike limelight. He was paid more than any other athlete with a sneaker endorsement at the time. Nike made him the face of its growing presence in basketball, and gave him his own sneaker line—called Air Jordan.
Jordan 1 Mid Cactus Flower 2020
The Air Jordan 1 Mid Cactus Flower is a sleek women’s shoe that features a vibrant colorway. This sneaker comes with a white base upper that contrasts with black suede panels at the forefoot and heel. A cactus flower color displays on the Swoosh collar, and the iconic "Jumpman" branding is on the tongue. On top of the Swoosh branding is the classic "Ball and Wings" logo, displayed in white. Small perforations are found on the forefoot to allow ventilation. Underneath, an Air sole unit provides lightweight cushioning. The Jordan 1 Mid Cactus Flower finishes off its look with a cactus flower rubber outsole providing good traction on all surfaces.
